Dear Colleagues,
We are approaching a dangerous housing and public health crisis. Governor Baker has decided to END the Eviction and Foreclosure Moratorium on October 17.
This will enable the 10,000 eviction cases frozen by the April Moratorium to go forward in Court and many thousands of other cases owners will file against tenants who have fallen behind on rent due to unemployment during the pandemic. Unfortunately, many tenants decide to move when they get an Eviction Notice or the Summons to Court because they don’t understand their rights, can’t afford a lawyer, or are afraid of the courts.
***The last thing we need during a pandemic public health crisis and colder months is thousands of people doubling up with others or going to shelters or the streets.
How you can help prevent this:
Community, housing, union groups are supporting and campaigning to get the Legislature to pass House 5018 (formerly H 4878) and Senate 2831, An Act to Guarantee Housing Stability During the COVID-19 Emergency and Recovery
It would extend eviction and foreclosure protections for tenants for a year, extend forbearance to homeowners and small landlords owning 15 or less units. See the attachment below for all the provisions of the bill and other back up material on the case for the bill.
**1. Please call your state representative and state senator and ask them to speak to Speaker DeLeo and Senate President Spilka to bring this legislation to a vote now.
**2. Please call and email others in your organization about them making such a call.
**3. AND IF you know anyone or your group has members in these communities, see below, have them call to one of these “Big 5” legislative leaders:
a. Revere and Winthrop residents for House Speaker Robert DeLeo
b. North End, West End, Chinatown, Northern South End residents for House Ways and Means Chair, Representative Aaron Michlewitz
c. Ashland, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton and Natick, precincts 1 to 5, inclusive, and 8, in the county of Middlesex; and the towns of Franklin, precincts 5, 6, and 8, and Medway residents for Senate President Karen Spilka
d. Fall River and the towns of Freetown, Somerset, Swansea and Westport in the county of Bristol; and the towns of Lakeville and Rochester residents for Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues
e. Quincy, Holbrook, Weymouth residents for House Majority Leader Rep. Ron Mariano
We are also asking the Governor to commit several hundred million to assistance for tenants and homeowners to help pay the rents and mortgages out of $818 Million in federal CARES Act funds they have not spent yet.
SAMPLE LETTER or EMAIL TO LEGISLATORS & PHONE CALLS TO LEGISLATORS.
Dear Representative/Senator_____,
We need your help to pass House 5018 (formerly H 4878) and Senate 2831, An Act to Guarantee Housing Stability During the COVID-19 Emergency and Recovery.
Governor Baker is ending the Eviction and Foreclosure Moratorium on October 17.
So we need the Legislature to pass this bill to extend protections for tenants, homeowners, and small landlords. It would extend eviction and foreclosure protections for tenants and homeowners for a year if they’ve lost income because of COVID-19, extend forbearance to homeowners and small landlords owning 15 or less units.
If this bill is not passed, the 10,000 eviction cases put on hold by the Moratorium in April will proceed along with many thousands more against tenants who haven’t been able to pay all the rent due during this time of high unemployment. During the public health emergency of COVID-19 pandemic and with approaching cold weather, we don’t need people being evicted and then doubling up with others or going to shelters or the streets.
**We need you to as soon as possible speak to Speaker Robert DeLeo or Senate President Karen Spilka about scheduling this bill for a vote very soon.
Thanks for considering this.
Sincerely,
________
Please call or email me at (617) 470-2912 lewfinfer@gmail.com
Other groups from the Homes for MA Coalition and allies are also working on this campaign along with supportive legislators.
Lewis Finfer, Co-Director
Massachusetts Communities Action Network (MCAN)
14 Cushing Ave, Dorchester, MA 02125
(617) 470-2912 (cell)
www.mcan.us
affiliated with Faith in Action www.faithinaction.org