Renter Panel: Why Do I Have to Pay Pet Rent?
About The Episode
September 30, 2026
First: we’re kicking things off with a panel on renter's issues, from rent stabilization to the tenant right-to-purchase bill. We’ll also answer some listener questions sourced on Reddit. Joining is Commonwealth Beacon reporter Jennifer Smith, tenant rights lawyer Jessica Drew from Greater Boston Legal Services, and Doug Quattrochi from MassLandlords.
Then: voting closes today in Salem's race to elect its newest dog mayor. We’ll explore how animal elections function in another corner of the U.S. – Divide, Colorado – which is currently led by a coyote-dog mayor named Ringo Starr. Helping is Kathleen Ruyak, Communication and Administration Director at their local animal shelter.
Last: the original Luddites were a 19th labor movement that rebelled against poor working conditions as much as technology. What do they have in common with the tech skeptics of today? We’ll talk with GBH’s Zoe Mathews about her latest episode of “Not My Politics,” with help from Harvard humanist & author Greg Epstein & UMass Boston labor historian Steve Striffler.
