BOSTON - Monday, August
2, 2021 - Mayor Kim Janey has announced City of Boston funding and other
assistance to help Boston renters stay stably housed during the COVID-19
pandemic. With the expiration of the federal eviction moratorium for
renters, Mayor Janey is raising awareness about City of Boston
protections and resources available to keep tenants in their homes, as
well as State and Federal programs to assist landlords and homeowners
worried about foreclosure.
“I am committed
to offering lifelines to Boston residents facing economic distress due to
the ongoing pandemic,” said Boston Mayor Kim Janey. “Strong neighborhoods
and stable housing are essential to Boston’s recovery, reopening, and
renewal. I urge Boston tenants, landlords, and homeowners who need help
to take advantage of resources offered by the City of Boston and the
Commonwealth.
Although the
federal eviction moratorium has expired, tenants are not without
protection due to the extension of the MA Chapter 257 requirement that
courts pause non-payment eviction cases if tenants have pending
applications for rental assistance. These protections are part of new
state law, Chapter 20, and will remain in effect until April 2022.
Tenants should notify housing court that they have applied for rental
assistance, and be aware that a landlord cannot evict anyone without a
Court Order. The City of Boston’s Office of Housing Stability has access to $50 million in Rental Relief Funds and also offers housing crisis
coordinators available by phone or in person who can assist tenants who
need help. The City of Boston has also partnered with the Boston Housing
Authority (BHA) to create a dedicated rental arrears program to support
tenants of the BHA. Immigration
status is not a consideration for receiving rental assistance from the
City of Boston.
To access rental
assistance, legal advice and assistance, and housing search help, please
visit boston.gov/housingstability or email OHSintake@boston.gov to learn more about how to access available resources. If
you have an urgent housing issue or have further questions about
resources, please call 617-635-4200 for assistance.
For individuals in
immediate need of shelter, the City shelters at Woods-Mullen and
Southampton Street shelters are open 24/7 and have capacity to accept
more guests. In addition, the City works closely with other homeless
shelter providers to connect residents with help. A complete list of
shelters, daytime resources, and locations offering meals can be found here.
Boston’s Rental
Relief Fund has awarded more than $17 million to over 3,200 households in
every neighborhood in Boston since it was created in April 2020, during
the first wave of the COVID-19 global pandemic. More than 70% of RRF
applicants are from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)
households. More than 30% of applicants reported that they work or
formerly worked in Boston’s hard-hit hospitality industry.
The Office of
Housing Stability (OHS) has partnered with Greater Boston Legal Services
(GBLS) to ensure that Boston tenants who reach out to OHS seeking legal
assistance get access to legal representation. Housing court
navigators and lawyers are at the Housing Court when it is in session.
Tenants who find themselves in front of a judge without a lawyer should
ask for one. The OHS hosts weekly legal clinics and office hours for tenants needing assistance and can
connect them with a landlord counselor, OHS Staff, or a Greater Boston
Legal Services Attorney. Tenants can find information on what to do if
they are facing eviction on the OHS website.
In November of
2020, the City passed the Housing Stability Notification Act, which requires that any landlord
planning to end a tenancy provides tenants with a Notice of Tenant’s
Rights and Resources. Landlords are required to submit a copy of the
notice to quit (the first step in the eviction process) and notice of
non-renewal of lease to the City’s Office of Housing Stability, which
allows city agencies to proactively reach out to offer support around
unpaid rent or other services that are needed to avoid evictions. The
tenant rights include: a landlord cannot move their belongings out of their apartment; cannot change
their locks; cannot shut off their utilities; or interfere with their use
of the unit without permission from the court.
Public service
messaging about this and other tenant rights
is being disseminated in multiple languages throughout Boston.
Stabilization
services are also available to landlords who are facing foreclosure or having trouble meeting
their mortgage obligations. |
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