Massachusetts Renters Fear Eviction As Federal Moratorium Ends

ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS — After four extensions and numerous challenges in court, the federal moratorium protecting Massachusetts renters from eviction during the pandemic is set to expire in just a few days.

The moratorium, issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, officially ends July 31. The most recent extension was issued in June, and federal officials have indicated they have no plans to extend it again.

The Massachusetts Landlords Association recently told WGBH-TV that it does not expect a rise in evictions in August, saying there’s plenty of state assistance to help tenants behind on their rent.

Nevertheless, more than 1.4 million Americans say it’s very likely they’ll be evicted from their homes in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey.

On top of that, about 4.9 million renters say they have no confidence in their ability to pay rent next month, while 7.4 million are still trying to catch up on rent payments.

While the federal government has funneled more than $46 billion in assistance to the country’s renters during the course of the pandemic, distributing that money has proved difficult. In some cases, the money never reached its intended recipients.

Ultimately, little has been done to curb an all-but-certain wave of eviction proceedings once the moratorium is lifted. Meanwhile, the White House is pushing state and municipal governments to do everything they can to stave off an eviction crisis.

“It’s fundamentally the responsibility of state and local governments to get relief in the hands of renters and landlords,” Susan Rice, director of the White House’s Domestic Policy Council, said during an early July meeting.

Here’s what’s happening in Massachusetts as the end of the federal eviction moratorium draws near:

Anxiety Among Massachusetts Renters Is High

Renters in Massachusetts share the same fears as others across the nation. Nearly 11,980 renters in our state are saying it’s very likely they’ll be evicted from their homes in the next two months.

Meanwhile, 85,409 renters say they have no confidence in their ability to pay rent next month and more than 127,814 are still trying to catch up on rent payments, according to the Census Bureau.

Evictions Could Spike Post-Moratorium

Perhaps unsurprisingly, evictions in Massachusetts and in other states across the country dropped in 2020, according to the Eviction Lab at Princeton University.

In a typical year, landlords file about 3.7 million eviction cases in court; however, from March to December 2020, eviction filings were down 65 percent in cities and states tracked by the Eviction Lab.

This was especially true in states and municipalities that prohibited landlords from taking the first steps of the eviction process, which included issuing eviction notices or filing cases in court.

Now, experts say an eviction crisis is “looming” in the United States.

Through its research, the Princeton University group noted that evictions spiked during short periods throughout the pandemic where no moratorium was in effect. For example, in the two weeks between the end of CARES Act coverage and the start of a moratorium extension, evictions were up 68 percent from the historical average. By Aug. 30, filings had returned to pre-pandemic levels.

The increase, researchers say, suggests landlords were acutely aware of what moratoriums were in place and were ready to kick out tenants who hadn’t paid their rent as soon as it was legally allowed.

Around 16 percent of adult renters were not current on their housing payments as of July 2021, according to an analysis by The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

“We’re going to see what we’ve been managing to stave off: this wave of evictions that is just going to crush some of these areas,” John Pollock, coordinator of the National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel, told CNBC.

Renters Of Color More At Risk

While fewer eviction cases have been filed throughout the pandemic, Black and Latino renters — particularly female renters — remain disproportionately at risk of being filed against for eviction and being evicted, according to the Eviction Lab.

Eviction Lab data showed that filings after March 15, 2020, targeted the same communities and individuals who were most at risk of eviction prior to the pandemic.

Notably, Black renters received a disproportionate share of all eviction filings. While Black renters make up 22.8 percent of all renters tracked by the Eviction Lab, they were subject to 35.2 percent of all eviction filings between March 15 and Dec. 31.

The Status Of Eviction Protection In Massachusetts

Are Massachusetts officials doing anything to prevent an eviction crisis?

In June, Gov. Charlie Baker signed a bill into law that extended certain pandemic-era policies, including certain eviction protections for tenants until April 1, 2022.

Specifically, the legislation does the following:

• Removes the connection of eviction protection law to the Federal CDC moratorium 10 days after it ends (July 31, 2021)
• Continues to require property owners to provide information on rental assistance and any relevant information on evictions with the Notice to Quit,
  • Also requires property owners to include documentation of any agreements between the tenant and landlord for the tenant to repay the landlord for non-payment of rent.
• Continues to require property owners to send copies of notices to quit to Executive Office of Housing & Economic Development (EOHED);
• Requires courts to grant continuances for eviction cases for pending rental assistance applications until April 1, 2022;
• Requires courts to continue reporting to Legislature until April 1st, 2022; and
• Continues to require Dept. of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to report on eviction diversion initiative to the Legislature until January 1st, 2023.

What Renters Can Do

While the process of finding and securing aid varies across states, the Treasury Department has published a list of state, local and tribal government emergency rental-assistance programs to help people find relief.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has also issued guidance for renters, landlords and homeowners.

For renters, the bureau offers advice on paying rent and utilities, as well as talking to your landlord about a payment agreement. It also outlines what you can do to avoid eviction and goes through your rights as a tenant.