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The coronavirus outbreak has caused another tectonic shift in Boston, alongside the closure of the city’s schools and a new state mandate for restaurants to shift to takeout-only service: Several large landlords have suspended apartment evictions during the crisis.
Mayor Marty Walsh, the Greater Boston Real Estate Board and its subsidiary landlord trade group the Massachusetts Apartment Association and the Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations announced Saturday that the three groups’ members were voluntarily imposing a moratorium on all evictions while Massachusetts is under a state of emergency. The groups are urging all property owners to implement their own moratorium on evictions for 90 days, with reviews of the moratorium every 30 days.
“Our primary focus in Boston is protecting our residents and ensuring they are safe and healthy as we work to stop the spread of coronavirus,” Walsh said in a statement. “Housing stability is crucial at this time, and I thank the Greater Boston Real Estate Board and the property owners throughout our city for working to minimize the disruptions to our residents during this challenging time. Through these measures to protect residents, we will continue our work to promote the well-being of every community in our city.”
So far, the companies following the moratorium include: Trinity Financial, Winn Residential, The Community Builders and the Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations. The latter is composed of nonprofit developers of mostly-subsidized housing. In addition, the city and the Boston Housing Authority issued letters last week urging the state Housing Court to reconsider non-essential evictions of residents. The Boston Housing Authority is also moving to immediately suspend its filing and prosecution of all Housing Court cases and matters with respect to its non-essential eviction actions. This includes cases where the health and safety of others is not part of the suit. It also includes all non-payment, no-fault cases and cause-related cases.
With many retail businesses closed or starting to operate at a reduced capacity thanks to Gov. Charlie Baker’s declaration Sunday, officials are worried workers will not have enough money to pay their rent. A wave of evictions could create an even bigger crisis, they fear.
“The Greater Boston Real Estate Board is urging its members to place a moratorium on evictions in Boston. During this time, we know how vital it is to do our part to minimize the anxiety and health risk to our tenants,” Greg Vasil, CEO and President of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board, said in a statmeent. “The halting of evictions will apply to those who are directly impacted by economic loss due to the coronavirus outbreak. We understand the pressure residents are feeling during this crisis, and ensuring Bostonians have a safe, stable home is always our goal.”
Legislators are also seeking to create a broader eviction ban at the state level during the coronavirus emergency. Democratic Cambridge Rep. Mike Connolly, a leader among Beacon Hill’s progressive wing, and Housing Committee co-chair Rep. Kevin Honan, D-Allston, have filed a bill calling for a state-wide eviction moratorium. The bill so far has 35 co-sponsors from across the state.
