The Supreme Court ruled yesterday to end the federal eviction moratorium issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In so doing, it has eliminated vital eviction protections that have kept millions of households nationally and tens of thousands in MA alone – predominantly people of color – stably housed. See the New York Times article here.
Most immediately, RENTAL ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE. We need to get the word out far and wide on our Western MA access points:
Hampden and Hampshire Counties: Way Finders
Franklin County: Franklin County Regional Housing and Redevelopment Authority
Berkshire County: Berkshire County Housing Development Corporation
Secondly, we need our State Legislature to respond by passing the COVID-19 Housing Equity Bill (H.1434/S.891) immediately. Twenty of our Western MA legislators have already gone on record with their support in this joint letter to the Legislature’s Housing Committee. We need to contact our legislators with an even greater sense of urgency now. You can find your legislator’s email or phone number here.
The message: PASS THE COVID-19 HOUSING EQUITY BILL (H.1434/S.891) NOW.
On a federal level, The National Low Income Housing Coalition offers us this guidance:
The Biden administration must immediately take every possible action to protect renters. HUD should implement an eviction moratorium for renters living in all federally assisted properties and FHFA should consider a moratorium for properties with a federally backed mortgage. The Department of Justice should direct courts to stop evictions for renters applying for ERA and urge courts to work with ERA programs to prioritize aid for those renters most at risk, and the Treasury Department should continue to eliminate barriers that prevent ERA programs from serving households in need.
Congress and the Biden administration must fix the gaps in our federal housing safety net – gaps that brought us to the brink of an eviction tsunami during a global pandemic – by quickly enacting long-term solutions in the infrastructure and economic recovery packages. Congress must enact the HoUSed campaign’s top priorities, including expanding rental assistance to all eligible households.
Call your US Representative and Senators to urge immediate action:
Senator Elizabeth Warren – 202-224-4543 or email here
Senator Ed Markey – 202-224-2842 or email here
Rep. Jim McGovern – 202-225-6101 or email here
or
Rep. Richard Neal – 202-225-3625 or email here
