In-person rally or car caravan to stand up for housing stability, racial and economic justice, and public health by enacting an Act to Guarantee Housing Stability during the COVID-19 Emergency & Recovery.
Rally with us Wednesday, but also take action now: make a call to your State Legislators (https://www.housingguarantee.org) and then send an email too (https://www.housingguarantee.org/email_your_legislators).
Join residents from across Massachusetts to stand up for housing stability, racial and economic justice, and public health.
At least 20,000 evictions are expected in Massachusetts when the state eviction moratorium expires on August 18. We demand Governor Baker and the State Legislature protect tenants and homeowners by passing HD.5166 / S.2831, An Act to Guarantee Housing Stability during the COVID-19 Emergency & Recovery.
**IMPORTANT pandemic protocol: please wear a mask/face-covering and maintain a 6 foot distance from others during the action. If you would like to join a car caravan instead of the in-person protest, meet at 12:30 pm at City Life/Vida Urbana, 284 Amory Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130. Groups in Lynn and Springfield will also hold local actions before joining the protest at the State House.
With the Massachusetts eviction and foreclosure moratorium currently set to expire on August 18 and the legislative session expected to end July 31, we face an emergency and the time for action is NOW.
This event is organized by Homes for All Massachusetts and allied community, labor, and faith organizations from across the state representing working class, low and moderate income tenants, homeowners, and small-scale landlords.
The Guaranteed Housing Stability legislation is sponsored by 89 members of the state legislature. It is the only way to head off an enormous wave of evictions when the current moratorium ends. The state’s eviction and foreclosure moratorium was enacted in April in response to the COVID-19 crisis; State Housing Court officials and landlord advocates predict up to 20,000 eviction cases as soon as it ends. The expiration of increased unemployment payments under the Federal CARES Act on July 31 will put even more tenants at risk.
With new data showing the disproportionate impact of evictions on Black people and communities of color in Massachusetts, and one million state residents still unemployed, advocates warn that failure to pass this bill will exacerbate existing inequities, further entrench systemic racism, harm public health, and do tremendous harm to the very areas that have been hardest hit by COVID-19.
An Act to Guarantee Housing Stability during the COVID-19 Emergency & Recovery has been endorsed by over 220 organizations (see https://homesforallmass.netlify.app) and was filed by Housing Committee Co-chair Kevin Honan and State Rep Mike Connolly in the House (HD.5166), and by Senator Pat Jehlen in the Senate (SD.2992). The bill includes provisions to: protect renters from eviction for non-payment related to COVID-19; halt arbitrary “no fault” evictions and rent increases for 12 months; prevent foreclosures and provide mortgage deferment options for homeowners; and stabilize landlords with particular emphasis on owner-occupant and small-scale property owners. #HousingGuaranteeMA
