Renters at risk as evictions begin
Fed moratorium should help most
The coronavirus pandemic’s crushing impact on renters and landlords takes on a new urgency today as the courts begin accepting new eviction filings now that a state moratorium has expired.
Watchdogs warn the crisis could generate a “tsunami” of evictions and inundate the courts.
Gov. Charlie Baker last Monday unveiled a $171 million eviction diversion program that includes a $100 million injection of cash into the state’s main rental assistance program.
Advocates warn that the resources will fall short of demand, while Baker’s administration counters that the plan will stave off any immediate deluge of cases.
“The Baker-Polito administration put a $171 million initiative in place investing in new and existing programs and processes to support both tenants and landlords during the housing and financial challenges that have been caused by COVID-19 and will continue working with the courts and stakeholders to promote housing stability for all families and individuals in the commonwealth,” said Anisha Chakrabarti, deputy communications director.
Braintree attorney Jeffrey
Turk who represents landlords of all sizes called advocates’ concerns “overblown,” and said the governor’s new “two-tired” eviction process will provide enough cushion to connect renters with resources to keep people in their homes.
“Evictions aren’t good for anyone,” Turk said.
The courts face an immediate backlog of
10,000 cases filed before the pandemic that will resume when they restart processing cases this week.
Also part of Baker’s response to the crisis, the state’s Housing Court has recalled 15 retired judges to assist with the backlog.
For now, a federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention moratorium on evictions of renters who meet income guidelines will stop tenant removals. The ban is being challenged in several courts nationwide, but Baker has said it would offer protection here in Massachusetts.
State Sen. Pat Jehlen, a Cambridge Democrat who has filed legislation that would put in place an eviction and foreclosure moratorium for one year after the current public health emergency expires and which would include added protections for tenants and landlords, warned: “informal evictions are already happening.”
She said low-income renters and communities of color stand to lose the most.
Attorney General Maura Healey weighed in Friday to “applaud” the governor’s expansion of resourc
es but said the protections should include “extending the moratorium until the safety net created under this plan is up and running and resources are fully available.”
Those resources were already under strain due to the enormous need stirred up amid by the pandemic, which has spurred mass unemployment amid widespread business shutdowns.
“Our biggest challenge is significant growth of the demand for rental assistance. However, our challenges pale in comparison to those faced by households who are at risk of losing their homes,” Metro Housing spokesman Jeff Landis said. The organization is the largest of nine regional nonprofits charged with distributing the resources.
In an open letter to the governor last week, a collective of housing advocates warned of a “dangerous” situation awaiting renters.
“In light of the scale and scope of the housing crisis, this is not enough,” stated the letter, which was signed by nine organizations and individuals including Lawyers for Civil Rights.