AARON'S STORY
Not in the Business of Eviction
For property owner Aaron Daigneault, his business is about relationships.
Growing up around his parent’s business in the service industry, he learned quickly that the customer is to be treated like gold and with the highest level of service. Those early lessons guided how he runs Blue Sky Realty, which manages apartments in Winthrop and East Boston.
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"We are not in the business of evictions, we focus on the relationship with the tenant," said Aaron. “We are in the business of long-term tenancies and will go to any length to succeed at that effort.”
When Aaron started his business 28 years ago, his focus was to offer rents that were below the market rate so that a more diverse group of local residents could afford a place to call home.
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“It goes back to my childhood working in a family business where I was taught that it is not just about the transaction. You have to put forth a service of merit and build a relationship. From that comes the success, and in my case, a tenant and landlord succeeding in a long-term tenancy.”
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Blue Sky Realty rents to many Metro Housing participants through a partnership that has lasted years. But during the pandemic that was taken to new heights. With many businesses closing and people out of work, paying rent was a struggle.
"The RAFT program was truly a savior, and working closely with Metro Housing in that process helped both the tenants and landlords get through a very difficult time."
- AARON
Many tenants were not comfortable accepting rental assistance through the RAFT program at first because it was a source of pride for them to pay their own rent. But at some point, it became impossible.
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“The RAFT program was truly a savior, and working closely with Metro Housing in that process helped both the tenants and landlords get through a very difficult time,” said Aaron.
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Aaron considers his employees as family because some have been working at Blue Sky Realty for more than 20 years.
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“The concept of family and long-term relationships is the reason I think we are successful at maintaining our tenancies. It is a philosophy we share with Metro Housing and a reason why we have such a strong partnership.”
Property Owners
Metro Housing|Boston partners with more than 4,300 rental assistance property owners and property management companies, offering them a variety programs and services including leasing assistance, inspections, and the Home Modification Loan Program.
