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311 complaint of the day: Too many locks on Beacon Hill

By adamg on Tue, 10/15/2024 - 12:48pm
Too many locks

A weary resident files a 311 complaint to ask that something be done about the excessive short-term rental lockery on Myrtle Street on Beacon Hill:

Can old lock boxes be removed???

Neighborhoods: 
Beacon Hill
Free tagging: 
Airbnb
Myrtle Street


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Comments

By Bob Leponge on Tue, 10/15/2024 - 1:05pm.

Getting rid of Airbnb wouldn’t completely solve the housing shortage but it would be a significant step.

By Lee on Wed, 10/16/2024 - 9:51am.

.. for absentee and hotel like property owners and managers was an excellent thing.

I have no problem with people renting out their own private space while away on vacation or a weekend or their spare bedroom, if they prefer to live alone most of the time. This has helped some people I know afford rent and mortgages and kept them housed.

It’s also helpful to travelers or temp workers who can’t afford Boston hotel prices.

But I agree totally on the type of Airbnb type rental that reduces housing stock. I imagine Beacon Hill is full of it.

By dd808 on Tue, 10/15/2024 - 1:38pm.

They are also used by real estate agents, dog walkers and house cleaners.

By Boston_res on Tue, 10/15/2024 - 2:01pm.

In that case, "Boohoo...".

By Jeff F on Tue, 10/15/2024 - 2:47pm.

I’m honestly confused as to why this is even a thing.

If you placed a lock on your door and gave the temp code to any of the servicepersons that were mentioned, why would they not simply leave the temp lock inside, then lock and shut the door behind themselves, upon completing their task at your house?

For that matter, why wouldn’t short term renters do the same?

By blues_lead on Wed, 10/16/2024 - 9:19am.

Dogs need to be walked every day. Why not give the dog walker a key? Because people have sick days and vacation days, so a different person will need to walk the dog.

Cleaners come regularly too, as do real estate agents in the period the unit is being shown.

By Lee on Tue, 10/15/2024 - 9:11pm.

… you won’t be home when your guests arrive.

By Ron Newman on Tue, 10/15/2024 - 5:12pm.

but I don't know why someone would leave their lock on the railing after riding their bike away.

By BostonDog on Tue, 10/15/2024 - 5:56pm.

People make the mistake of locking up something on the bike that can be cut or removed. (Spokes, seatpost, etc.) Once the bike is stolen, the owner no longer cares about the lock.

Also possible the bike was abandoned and someone just cut the bike off entirely to get it out of the way.

But maybe the U-Lock owner saw all the other locks and just wanted to fit in.

By Lee on Tue, 10/15/2024 - 9:09pm.

… at one spot. It was a spare and kept my load light.

By Friartuck on Tue, 10/15/2024 - 6:45pm.

Then this will be a breeze.

By Frelmont on Tue, 10/15/2024 - 6:48pm.

There are still Master Locks out there I see. I don’t trust them.

By Lee on Tue, 10/15/2024 - 9:13pm.

…. a Ulock in seconds. When will burglars start cutting through these?

By perruptor on Wed, 10/16/2024 - 7:17am.

For under $100. Cordless angle grinder - $34. Battery charger is another $34. Battery is $30.

By Lee on Wed, 10/16/2024 - 9:43am.

I’m not thinking of changing my line of work though. Even for such an affordable investment.

By eddie van halen on Wed, 10/16/2024 - 7:34am.

So you take a risk and cut the box off. Then what? Try to break into the box to get key? Then what? Try the key in every lock in every building in the area? I don't think so.

By Lee on Wed, 10/16/2024 - 9:42am.

Observation of who uses which one.
Sometimes the lock is right there attached to garden level apartment’s front grill or window grill.
Sometimes just getting inside the main front door is good enough when they have a crow bar or other tools. One of those programable key pads or in areas that allow, a hidden key is still a better defense. But this system works now for people apparently. Until it doesn’t.

By eddie van halen on Wed, 10/16/2024 - 1:12pm.

for decades. We're talking about keys in a common area around a tree on sidewalk....not your other scenarios. I'll also wager that the area is under video surveillance. No security measure provides complete protection but the numbers are the numbers. Common criminals like easy targets.

By Lee on Wed, 10/16/2024 - 1:27pm.

The worst crimes there were perpetrated by rent gauging slumlords and sleazy realtors. But they all have their own keys.

By cybah on Wed, 10/16/2024 - 3:14pm.

If you saw how some realty companies do key management.. you'd be very afraid.. very afraid.

Once I figured it out, I paid the 50 buck fee to have every unit I rented, re-keyed.

By Lee on Wed, 10/16/2024 - 3:37pm.

Called cops too on scofflaw realtors.

By eddie van halen on Wed, 10/16/2024 - 7:16pm.

is a different conversation. I wouldn't be surprised at all. It's not just property management companies, it's MANY organizations. The average person treats security as a joke. The only saving grace is that (most) people are relatively honest.

By Lee on Wed, 10/16/2024 - 7:56pm.

Sometimes the person with the most difficulty getting into their home when they misplace their keys, is the rightful resident.
And most people are honest or just not enterprising or in need.

By ElizaLeila on Wed, 10/16/2024 - 8:30am.

there were the videos going around about breaking into u-locks with a ball point pen. IIRC, just the cap, actually. Definitely suspect for keeping one's bike safe.

By Lee on Wed, 10/16/2024 - 9:34am.

But thieves have even better grinders.
So the best defense now is to use two or more Ulocks. The idea being the thieves will go after the bikes with only one to save time.

I used to leave my bikes out at night. But no more.