Elderly Homeowner Battles 'Tenant from Hell' Who Abused Rental Assistance

Janette Jackson's Dorchester home was damaged and left dirty after a long battle to evict a tenant who refused to pay rent and repeatedly exploited taxpayer-funded housing programs.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 11:09pm

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The NBC10 Investigators are questioning how a tenant living in an elderly woman's Dorchester home still qualified for taxpayer rental assistance, despite a lengthy history of evictions. Janette Jackson, a 76-year-old homeowner, said the 'tenant from hell' did not pay rent and it took more than a year and a dozen court appearances to get her evicted from the property. The tenant, Kenyatta Saunders, was a recipient of the HomeBASE program, which provides assistance to families to stabilize housing and avoid homelessness.

Why it matters

This case highlights ongoing issues with rental assistance programs being exploited by 'professional tenants' who avoid paying rent and use tactics to delay eviction cases, sometimes on the taxpayer's dime. It raises questions about how to better screen applicants and monitor program compliance to ensure limited resources are directed to those truly in need.

The details

When Saunders moved into Jackson's home in December 2024, she immediately complained about issues with the property to Boston Inspectional Services and refused to allow access for repairs. Jackson said Saunders also did not pay her portion of the rent, leading to HomeBASE removing her from the program. Jackson obtained a restraining order against Saunders after she said her tenant pushed her on the steps leading to the basement. The NBC10 Investigators found a pattern of similar issues with Saunders at six other properties around Boston, where she received taxpayer assistance despite a history of evictions.

  • In December 2024, Kenyatta Saunders moved into Janette Jackson's Dorchester home.
  • Over the next year, Jackson went through more than a dozen court appearances to finally evict Saunders last month.
  • On the date of the eviction, Jackson found her home dirty and damaged.

The players

Janette Jackson

A 76-year-old homeowner in Dorchester whose home was damaged and left dirty after a long battle to evict a non-paying tenant.

Kenyatta Saunders

A tenant who moved into Jackson's home in December 2024 and immediately began exploiting the HomeBASE rental assistance program, despite a lengthy history of evictions at other properties.

HomeBASE

A taxpayer-funded program that provides rental assistance to families to help stabilize housing and avoid homelessness.

Stu Schrier

An attorney with over four decades of experience who has represented landlords in three eviction cases against Saunders.

Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities

The state agency that oversees the HomeBASE rental assistance program.

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What they’re saying

“How many times do you have to turn the other cheek? (Saunders) has taken advantage of these program over and over and over again.”

— Stu Schrier, Attorney

“I know I have a lot of work to do, but I'm so happy because I'm getting her out of my place.”

— Janette Jackson

“A lot of days I don't want to get out of my bed because this is not a life to live.”

— Janette Jackson

What’s next

The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities said it will review cases like Jackson's to see where improvements can be made to the HomeBASE program to prevent abuse.

The takeaway

This case highlights the need for better screening and monitoring of rental assistance program participants to ensure limited taxpayer resources are directed to those truly in need, not exploited by 'professional tenants' who game the system. It also raises concerns about the impact on vulnerable homeowners like Jackson who face significant hardship when their properties are damaged and they lose rental income.