CORI and housing
If you are applying to rent housing — whether it is subsidized housing or from a private landlord — the following people or entities may request your Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) from the state:
- a public housing authority or government agency that oversees any federal or state-funded public or subsidized housing,
- an individual private landlord,
- a management company that owns housing or works for an owner, or
- a real estate agent that works for a landlord or management company.1
Exactly what information is on the CORI report depends upon who is asking for it.
803 CMR 5.02, see definition of Public Housing Authority, Landlord, Property Management Company, and Real Estate Agent.
803 CMR 5.06(6).
A housing applicant’s identity shall be verified by a landlord, property manager, real estate agent, or public housing authority examining a government-issued identification. This includes a state driver’s license, state ID card with photo, passport, or military identification. 803 CMR 5.06(3). If a housing applicant does not have acceptable government-issued identification, a landlord, property management company, real estate agent, or public housing authority shall verify the housing applicant’s identity by other forms of documentation as determined by the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services. 803 CMR 5.06(4).
803 CMR 5.06(5).
M.G.L. c. 6, Section 172(a)(30)(d). Except as authorized by this section, it shall be unlawful to request or require a person to provide a copy of his criminal offender record information. Violation of this subsection is punishable by the penalties set forth in section 178.
803 CMR 5.11(1)(a). In addition, a housing authority, landlord, property management company or real estate agent must provide the housing applicant with the source of other criminal history information. 803 CMR 5.11(1).
Public housing authorities and property management companies that run subsidized housing programs shall screen housing applicants for subsidized housing only as provided by state and federal law. 803 CMR 5.05(3). State Public Housing: 760 CMR 5.08 requires that LHAs, in making their final determination, “shall determine if applicant and household members are qualified for public housing.” Federal Public Housing and Section 8: 24. CFR 5.403 defines “applicant” to mean a person or a family that has applied for housing assistance.
803 CMR 5.04(3). Under 803 CMR 5.02 “Market Rate Housing” is defined as “housing for which the landlord or property management company receives a subsidized housing voucher.”
803 CMR 5.04(3).
Use the Legal Resource Finder to find free legal help to seal your CORI, including CORI sealing clinics on Zoom.
Download self-help booklets about CORI, including CORI sealing, prepared by Greater Boston Legal Services.
The Massachusetts Department of Criminal Justice Information Services has information, links to CORI forms, and more.