“Evictions disproportionately impact women, particularly women of color and single mothers. Domestic violence survivors face evictions due to the violence. Evictions negatively impact women’s and children’s health. And nearly two-thirds of people 65 and older living in poverty are women and are at a high risk of housing instability. The eviction crisis is a women’s crisis….” National Women’s Law Center, July 28, 2021.
ACTION ALERT: Urge your Representative to vote YES on H.4505, the HOMES Act.
H4505, An Act promoting housing opportunity and mobility through eviction sealing, or the HOMES Act, has advanced to the House Committee on Bills in the Third Reading. It will be scheduled for a vote on the House floor soon. Please contact your Representative today and ask them to vote YES on H4505 when it comes to the floor for a vote. Are they a cosponsor? Thank them for their cosponsorship. Please see the sample script, below.
“Hi my name is [NAME], and I am a resident of [CITY/TOWN]. I’m calling today to ask my state representative to vote YES for H4505 the HOMES Act when it comes to the floor for a vote. H4505 would protect tenants from being unfairly marked with an eviction record by providing a process for tenants to petition the court to seal the record on a case by case basis.” [Remember to include your complete name and street address if you communicate via email.]
Questions? See this fact sheet.
Read the LWVMA testimony in support of this bill.
S.874/H. 1436. An Act promoting housing stability and homelessness prevention in Massachusetts would provide low-income tenants and low-income owner-occupant landlords with legal representation during an eviction. See fact sheet here and League testimony here. Listen to Gina’s story about how legal help matters. Urge Housing Committee Chairs to report the bills out favorably:
- Keenan@masenate.gov (617-722-1494)
- Arciero@mahouse.gov (617-722-2575)