Advocacy groups call on Mass. Legislature to extend eviction moratorium

As the clock runs out on a federal eviction moratorium this weekend, advocates took to Beacon Hill in protest of what they say is a lack of government action to protect tenants from losing their homes.

“Tomorrow, federal protections that are helping some people stay in their homes disappear. That’s gonna make the situation far worse,” said Isaac Simon Hodes, a community organizer with Homes for All Massachusetts who protested on the State House steps Friday morning. “Will Massachusetts act? We have the solution in front of us,” he added, referring to a bill that would pause evictions and foreclosures for another year.

That bill, filed by state Sen. Pat Jehlen, D-Somerville, and state Reps. Frank Moran, D-Lawrence, and Kevin Honan, D-Boston, and signed by over 70 co-sponsors, would also forbid landlords from evicting tenants who had missed payments during the pandemic unless the parties had worked “in good faith” to obtain emergency rental assistance.

Jehlen, who is vice chair of the Housing Committee, said that there are “millions and millions of federal, state and local dollars” up for grabs for rent and mortgage assistance, but that it’s been “way too hard” to access them. She argued that the application “should be much easier for people to get the assistance they need and are entitled to,” and that it would benefit both landlords and tenants to simplify it.

When asked about the expiration of the federal eviction moratorium, Gov. Charlie Baker said the state formed a team upon the expiration of the state moratorium in October that has provided $280 million in state and federal funds for rental assistance. Since October, Massachusetts landlords have filed over 18,000 evictions.

“We did put a pretty significant diversion program in place and it’s worked very well,” he said. “In some respects, we were ahead of the game among most states because we had a state program.” Currently, over 103,000 tenants are behind on rent and over 28,000 homeowners are more than three months behind on their mortgages, according to Census data.

Suzanne Simon Hodes, a volunteer with Lynn United for Change and Isaac Simon Hodes’ mother, has knocked on doors offering help to those at risk of being evicted. They’re often terrified of losing their homes. “Some people don’t even know (rental assistance) exists, and other people are unable to navigate it on their own because of lack of a computer or Internet, and it’s a very difficult application process,” she said.

Oscar Lopez, a father of two in Lynn, was recently helped by Lynn United for Change in fighting his eviction case. He’s struggled to keep up with rent payments while caring for his ailing mother and having his hours cut back at his restaurant job.

“It’s scary, but in the meantime, there’s always good people out there,” he said of Lynn United, calling them “angels.” “Something needs to stop.”

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3j4qEXc