Evictions and Foreclosures Surge

This week the Globe Spotlight team detailed how the devastation in our nursing homes was totally predictable and predicted, and how the administration’s slow response caused more loss of life.  Mass. has the second highest percentage of nursing home deaths in the country.

Our committee on Elder Affairs plans an informational hearing on what we can learn from the experience in nursing homes during the pandemic on Tuesday, October 13.  If you'd like to listen, let me know and I'll send an invitation.

Now we face a totally predictable surge of disease and death as tens of thousands of families lose their homes in 2 weeks when the eviction and foreclosure moratorium expires on October 17.

These are people in communities with the highest infection rate, the highest death rate.  They work in the most dangerous jobs where they are most likely to contract and spread the virus, live in the most crowded and doubled-up apartments, have the fewest resources.  Many are Black and Latinx.

As winter comes, they will have to move into their cars, into shelters, and.most likely into even more crowded apartments with other over-crowded families.  We know that is one of the most common ways the disease spreads.  

The resulting surge will reverse the health recovery and stop any economic recovery, and will end the possibility of in-person schooling in those communities.

This calamity is totally predictable.  The governor needs to act to extend the moratorium in the next two weeks.  If he won’t, as he has signaled, the legislature needs to act now to stop this totally predictable tragedy.

Rep. Mike Connolly, Housing Chair Kevin Honan and I filed legislation to extend the moratorium on evictions and foreclosures for a year after the emergency, only for people who couldn't pay rent or mortgage for COVID-related reasons.  It includes foreclosure and forebearance protection for homeowners and owners of up to 15 units.  It also would set up a fund to assist property owners.  We had 90 cosponsors, almost half of all legislators.  On Wednesday, I went to the State House for the first time since March to join a press conference by the Homes for All Coalition supporting the importance of legislation.

Yesterday, Oct. 1, the Housing Committee reported a redraft of our bill, which now includes a tax credit for landlords who lose income, and an increase in RAFT (Rental Assistance for Families in Transition) to up to $10,000.  We need to get the governor to allow use of a large share of the remaining federal COVID funds to provide assistance to homeowners, tenants and landlords.

Alleviating this predictable crisis is absolutely crucial to preventing a dramatic surge this fall and winter.  The governor should act now to extend the current moratorium, and to allot a major share of the remaining COVID funds for housing relief.  And we are working hard in the legislature to adjust and finish the good work of the Housing Committee and so many advocates.