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BOSTON
- Thursday, November 12, 2020 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today signed the Housing
Stability Notification Act, an ordinance ensuring Bostonians at risk of
eviction know their rights and have access to information on the resources
available to them. Mayor Walsh introduced the ordinance to the City Council
last month, ahead of the end of the statewide moratorium on evictions and
foreclosures. With its passage, property owners and constables are required
to provide a document containing information on tenant rights and resources
available when issuing their tenant a Notice to Quit (the first step in the
legal process of an eviction) or Nonrenewal of Lease.
"Keeping
families in their homes has been our top priority since the beginning of
the pandemic, and we are committed to doing everything we can to prevent
evictions during this difficult time," said Mayor Walsh. "The
Housing Stability Notification Act is an important step the City is taking
to help people at risk of eviction know their rights and the resources
available to them. I want to thank the City Council and our housing
advocates for their partnership in this ongoing work to prevent evictions
and keep tenants in their homes during this crisis."
The
document
that must accompany a Notice to Quit or Nonrenewal of Lease provides
information about City and State rental relief funds, guidance on filing a
federal declaration
of need to potentially protect against eviction, and a list of services
such as legal counsel and other supports. The information contained in the
document is intended to prevent an eviction by providing access to
financial and legal resources. When issuing these documents to tenants,
landlords must also provide a copy of the Notice to Quit and Nonrenewal of
Lease to the Office
of Housing Stability.
"I
want to thank the Mayor for signing this ordinance and look forward to the
Public Health Commission's consideration of the request to make enforcing
an eviction a violation of our city's health and sanitation codes,"
said Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards. "We need to keep as many
Boston families housed this winter as possible during the pandemic. We also
need the State House to enact short term and permanent housing policies
that are centered on the human right to housing and stable
neighborhoods."
The
Housing Stability Notification Act builds on Mayor Walsh's previous efforts
to ensure stable housing for the residents of Boston, particularly during
the COVID-19 pandemic. The City's Rental
Relief Fund, launched in April, is currently accepting new applications
to support residents who lost their income due to COVID-19 and are unable
to pay their rent. Working in close partnership with three non-profit
organizations, MetroHousing Boston, NOAH, and Project Hope, the fund has
distributed almost $4 million in assistance to over 1,100 households across
the city.
In
addition, the City has contracted with Greater Boston Legal Services to add
additional attorneys to assist tenants facing eviction. The Office of
Housing Stability (OHS) has expanded the Housing Court Navigator Program
that assists tenants who are in Housing Court and need financial, legal or
other assistance.
"The
housing stability notification act is an important step in protecting
tenants by helping them understand their rights," said Zoe Cronin,
managing attorney of the Housing Unit at Greater Boston Legal Services.
"It is another tool that we can use to help keep people stably housed
and we are glad that Mayor Walsh signed it into law."
As
part of its response to COVID-19, the CDC moratorium, tenants are
required to sign and submit a declaration
to their landlord stating that they qualify for protection under the
moratorium. To support residents seeking to be covered by the CDC
moratorium, the City of Boston has translated this declaration into 11
languages, and posted it on the Office of Housing Stability website
so eligible tenants can sign it and send it to their landlord.
This
direct outreach supplements the City of Boston's work in partnering with
banks and mortgage lenders. Currently,
17 banks and mortgage lenders have signed on to a pledge, issued by the
Mayor, which provides homeowners with at least a three month loan deferment
from lenders.
Prior
to the pandemic, the Mayor has consistently advocated for protections
against displacement, including in 2017 when he signed the Jim
Brooks Community Stabilization Act, a home rule petition that failed to
pass in the state legislature. Mayor Walsh has also advocated
in support of An Act to Ensure Right to
Counsel in Eviction Proceedings, which would provide any low-income
tenant facing eviction with a court-appointed attorney for representation.
The
City has also taken steps to enhance services to help homeowners, many of
whom are small landlords, to meet their own financial obligations, make
critical repairs, and stay in their homes. The Boston
Home Center (BHC) has partnered with the City of Boston's Tax/Title
division to send multi-lingual inserts in tax bills to more than 8,000
homeowners who are past due in property taxes to let them know that help is
available from the City. The Boston Home Center also sent multi-lingual
notices to 10,000 homeowners, in neighborhoods with traditionally high
foreclosure rates, informing them of assistance available through Foreclosure
Prevention and Intervention services.
Tenants
are able to access information here and landlords are able
to access information and documents here. | 
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