Thread by @MilesPerHoward

If you live in Massachusetts, this thread is for you:

Our eviction moratorium expires in 1 week. There's a bill in the House that would stop the resultant homelessness crisis. In this thread, I'll cover why that bill is crucial, why it hasn't been passed, and what we can do.

1/

Back in spring, Massachusetts passed one of the nation's strongest eviction bans. It allowed people to stay in their homes during the pandemic. But there's a problem: renters and small landlords are accruing debt (back rent or missed mortgage payments)

2/
shelterforce.org/2020/05/20/res…

This summer, the Mass. legislators who came up with the eviction ban introduced the Housing Stability Act (H.4878) which not only extends the moratorium well into 2021 but provides several mechanisms of financial support for renters and small landlords
malegislature.gov/Bills/191/HD51…

3/

While the Housing Stability Act alone is not enough to fix all the issues faced by renters and landlords (Congress needs to step up,) the bill *would* allow people to stay in their homes through a pandemic winter and spring, without completely throwing landlords under the bus

4/

Given that Covid cases in Massachusetts are rising again (and that Covid seems to transmit more aggressively during colder seasons) you'd think ensuring housing for all would be of utmost importance to Mass. legislators

But they still haven't passed the Housing Stability Act

5/

Massachusetts is not a particularly progressive state when it comes to housing equity, and what we're seeing/hearing from lawmakers who won't support the Housing Stability Act are half measures like offering legal counsel to anyone who faces evicted

This...is not a solution.

6/

Not only do housing courts often side with landlords, but simply going through an eviction process can ruin your credit and make it much harder to get another apartment further down the road.

Also...Mass. unemployment is *extremely* high.

Also..WE ARE STILL IN A PANDEMIC.

7/

The most laughable half measure we've seen thus far, from a Mass. political leader, is this Big Idea from Marty Walsh. He's asking landlords to pledge to work with tenants, instead of evicting them this winter

This kind of credulity gets people killed

8/
boston.gov/news/housing-s…

It might sound like hyperbole to imply that people will die if the Mass. eviction ban expires...if you haven't been close to the communities hit hardest by the virus. Taking someone's housing away right now will push them into shelters or onto the street. They will be exposed

9/

Let us be clear: Massachusetts is on the verge of making a decision that could cause scores of preventable deaths, mostly among poor people whom Mass. liberals claim to empathize with

Letting the eviction ban expire is a choice

An unforgivable choice

So...what can we do?

10/

If your state rep or senator still hasn't gotten on board with the Housing Stability Act, you should be calling or DM-ing them *every day* between now and 10/17 (or until they change their tune.) If you have a platform on Twitter, use it to put your reps on the spot publicly

11/

This Sunday, there's a rally on Boston Common, in support of the Housing Stability Act. PLEASE be part of this, if you're able. We need to do all that we can to show Mass. legislators that voters want this, and that we'll be watching them very closely

12/

https://twitter.com/CityLife_Clvu/status/1313571324057583618

If, despite all our efforts, the Mass. legislature declines to pass the Housing Stability Act by 10/17...if the eviction ban expires...be ready to take to the streets. Civil disobedience can gunk up eviction proceedings.

I really hope we don't have to do this.

But we might

13/

I suspect the mental roadblock for legislators and some voters...re: the Housing Stability Act...is the notion of making pandemic aid long term. But the pandemic (and the recovery) will last for years. We need more than band-aids

(I wrote about this)

/14
wbur.org/cognoscenti/20…

Another thing: if your state legislators claim they agree with "the broad aim" of the Housing Stability Act but take issue with the details, the thing to ask is, "Well then, where have you been?"

We are one week out from 10/17.

This is the bill we have in front of us.

#mapoli

As far as I can tell, neither Elizabeth Warren nor Ed Markey has come out strong in support of the Housing Stability Act. This is really not cool. Both have huge platforms and progressive cred, and there's a homelessness tsunami approaching their own backyard

Call 'em

#mapoli