Six Divisions
The Access to Justice Commission proposed that a comprehensive statewide expansion occur by expanding existing divisions and adding a sixth division. The Commission considered transportation and projected summary process case loads. The proposal and law that passed provides a statewide Housing Court with the following Divisions:
- Eastern Housing Court (formerly the Boston Housing Court) expands to include Chelsea, Revere, Winthrop, Newton, Brookline, Cambridge, Somerville and other areas in Middlesex County.
- Northeast Housing Court expands to include Woburn, Malden, Melrose, Waltham, Watertown, and the surrounding areas.
- Southeast Housing Court expands to include Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket counties.
- New Metro South Housing Court includes the existing Housing Court in Brockton and expands to cover Norfolk County and some areas of Plymouth County currently covered by the Southeast Housing Court.
- Central Housing Court (formerly the Worcester Housing Court) expands to include cities and towns in Middlesex County, including Framingham.
- Western Housing Court continues to include Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties.