Things are MOVING QUICKLY, so take a few minutes right now on our key priorities and let’s get Western MA heard!
On HOMES – the Eviction Record Sealing bill:
We need your help to contact Representatives in the House to move the HOMES Act out of the House a
and to the Senate. Send an email to your State Representative about the importance of this bill. Urge your Representative to ask Chair Garlick to advance this bill to a third reading in House. Below is an email that you can use.
Find your Representative here. Email and call them about the HOMES Act TODAY!
Thank you!!
Sample Email or Phone Call to Your Representative
Hi Representative NAME,
My name is YOUR NAME and I live in CITY/TOWN. As one of your constituents, I want to urge you to support H.4505, also known as the HOMES Act, which would promote housing opportunity and mobility through eviction sealing.
Right now, tenants are being hurt by their past eviction record – even when the tenant won their case, the case was dismissed, or when there is an agreement reached between all parties. Tenants should not be unfairly marked with an eviction record.
H. 4505 would establish a process for tenants to petition to the court to seal an eviction record on a case-by-case basis. This bill is an essential part of creating an equitable housing environment for all residents in Massachusetts.
Can I count on your vote in support of the HOMES Act H.4505, and will you urge Chair Denise Garlick to advance the HOMES Act favorably out of the Committee on Third Reading?
If you have any questions about the HOMES Act, please visit www.PassTheHomesAct.org/. Thank you for your support of this crucial bill to promote housing opportunity and mobility for all families and residents in Massachusetts.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME
On the Real Estate Transfer Fee for Affordable Housing:
Please contact your State Representative (find them here) to ask them to co-sponsor amendment #176 to the Economic Development bill in support of Transfer Fees for Affordable Housing!
Below is a message to copy and paste into an email:
_____
I am writing to ask you to co-sponsor Rep. Connolly’s Amendment # 176 to the Economic Development bill (H.5007). This Amendment would allow municipalities the opportunity to implement transfer fees for affordable housing if they so choose, to generate revenue specifically for the creation and preservation of affordable housing.
Thank you for supporting municipal efforts to address the affordable housing crisis.
Sincerely,
[your name]
On regional transit:
Please contact your legislators TODAY and ask them to co-sponsor amendments that will increase equity in regional transit by stabilizing funding for RTA communities.
There are two amendments that we are prioritizing, one in the Senate and the other in the House.
1. Find your state senator and state house representative here: https://malegislature.gov/search/findmylegislator
2. Click here for our outreach template, and then:
1) Call or email your state senator and ask them to co-sponsor Senate Amendment #138 in the Senate Transportation Bond bill.
2) Call or email your state house representative and ask them to co-sponsor House Amendment #823 in the House Economic Development bill.
3. Let us know that you took action by sending an email to Alexis (awalls@mapublichealth.org) and Elise (emason@t4ma.org) or following this link.
These quick actions will make a difference. Thanks for doing what you can!
