BOSTON (WHDH) - With Massachusetts’ moratorium on evictions now expired, housing advocates say it needs to be restored to prevent thousands from going homeless or cramming together in housing and potentially spreading the coronavirus.
Gov. Charlie Baker let the moratorium expire after six months on Saturday, and now landlords and banks can take tenants who can’t pay rent and homeowners who can’t pay their mortgage to housing court again.
Legislators are considering bringing the moratorium back and Tim Reardon of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council said his organization estimated 60,000 households were at risk of eviction, especially as hundreds of thousand residents remain out of work.
And once people are evicted, if they are not homeless they are likely to move into cramped living situations with friends and family — and become more likely to spread the coronavirus, Reardon said.
“If we see a lot of evictions, we’re going to see more families doubling up and a greater possibility for the spread of the pandemic,” Reardon said.
Skip Schloming, executive director of the Small Property Owners Association, said evictions are necessary and landlords who own one or two properties are hurt by tenants not paying rent.
“If you’ve got a non-paying tenant and can’t get rid of them, you have to make some adjustments, to cut back on services, and cut back on repairs,” Schloming said.
“Small landlords, we have to do what it takes to make sure they stay solvent through this crisis, just as we have to make sure tenants can stay in their homes and stay healthy,” Reardon said.
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