When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in the early months of 2020, a temporary prohibition was placed on evictions and foreclosures in Massachusetts. This moratorium, however, was lifted just months later in October 2020. Since then, the state has faced a deadly second wave of the virus, and the housing crisis worsened significantly. The housing crisis took a dramatically disproportionate toll on communities of color and low-income households throughout Massachusetts. Since October, over 8,000 new eviction cases have been filed and over 1,000 “executions” have been issued to landlords, meaning these families can be forcibly removed from their homes by sheriffs or constables. Over 1,000 Massachusetts homeowners are currently at risk of foreclosure.
Though some programs are providing important resources to prevent evictions, they have not nearly met the needs of the people of Massachusetts. Vulnerable residents are excluded from helpful programs due to the difficulty of navigating the process, and many homeowners are being denied forbearance, the delay of a foreclosure.
What we need now more than ever is strong legislative action to prevent displacement, address the financial distress caused by the pandemic, and reduce the racial disparities and economic inequality that Massachusetts residents face.
What will this bill do?
Bill H.1434/S.891 builds on the eviction protections that were passed in the FY20 budget, Chapter 257 of the Acts of 2020. It closes loopholes in Federal protections which currently leave tenants and homeowners vulnerable, and ensures new federal rental assistance funds will reach those most in need.
The COVID-19 Housing Equity Bill will:
- Require landlords to pursue and cooperate with rental assistance programs before pursuing eviction
- Protect the most vulnerable tenants from forced removal for COVID-19 debts
- Pause no-fault evictions during the state of emergency and recovery period
- Reinstate a pause on foreclosures and require forbearance based on federal policies
- Require the state to adopt equitable principles, flexibility, and simplification in the distribution of rental assistance funds.
How to get involved:
USE YOUR VOICE: contact your state representative to urge them to vote “yes” on this bill:
You can find your State Representative and Senator HERE. These elected officials work for you, and it is immensely important that they hear from their constituents about what you want them to do as your representative. Here is a script you can use to email or call your representatives:
Dear Representative/Senator [NAME],
My name is [NAME] and I am Calling/Emailing on behalf of [ORGANIZATION]. I live in your district and wanted to talk to you about a piece of legislation that is crucial to helping end family homelessness in Massachusetts. This bill is incredibly important to me and I would really appreciate your advocacy, especially by co-sponsoring the bill.
On any given night in our state, 18,471 people experience homelessness, a number that has more than doubled since 1990, and over 12,000 of them are in families with children. Since 2007, no other State in America has seen a larger increase in family homelessness. It doesn’t have to be this way! There are concrete laws that can be passed that will drastically transform Massachusetts into a State where homelessness really is brief, rare, and non-recurring.
As your constituent, here is the bill I’d like you to co-sponsor and support: Bill H.1434/S.891: An act to prevent COVID-19 evictions and foreclosures and promote an equitable housing recovery.
This bill would prevent evictions for the most vulnerable populations. Many of us have been financially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the most detrimental way. Through no fault of our own, we are facing housing instability. We need this bill to prevent foreclosures and evictions during the state of emergency and recovery period.
Sincerely, [NAME]
- Find us on Twitter @HFFma
- Find us on Facebook @homesforfamilies
The lead sponsors of this Bill are:
- Senator Patricia Jehlen, Representative Kevin Honan, & Representative Frank Moran
To read the full Bill, please visit: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/SD1802
Homes for Families: Opening Doors 