Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the Administrator of the Boston Housing Authority (BHA), Kate Bennett last week announced an extension on the moratorium on nonessential evictions for BHA public housing residents until March 1, 2021. The moratorium offers housing stability to BHA’s public housing residents and reduces coronavirus risks associated with the processing of its nonessential eviction cases. Nonessential evictions include all eviction proceedings except for those related to criminal activity, and those that are necessary to protect the health and safety of BHA residents, employees, and others.
“It’s been a difficult year, with a dueling public health and economic crisis that has hit our communities hard,” said Walsh. “This moratorium continues to serve the best interests of both our residents who struggle to make ends meet and of our city as a whole, as we fight to maintain the health and safety of our city.”
“A safe, stable home is the best protection our residents have in battling coronavirus, and it is critical that we take the steps we can to keep our residents safely housed through this pandemic,” said BHA Administrator Kate Bennett. “The vaccine is on its way, and there’s cause for optimism going into 2021, but now is not the time to take our foot off the gas. There were reasons we put this moratorium in place, and those reasons are still with us.”
“This moratorium has given public housing residents some extra peace of mind at a time when many families are struggling,” said Matilda Drayton, President of the Alice Taylor Tenant Task Force, in Mission Hill. “BHA has been a strong partner for residents this year as we have worked together to keep our families and communities safe.”
Any BHA program participant who is unable to pay current rent during the pandemic should notify their housing manager or landlord through text, email or printed letter and establish a plan for repayment. Although there is an eviction moratorium currently in place for public housing, it is temporary, and tenants are still required to perform their contractual obligation to pay their rent.
BHA program participants facing a financial hardship must reach out to BHA to re-certify their income and reduce their monthly payments. Statewide financial assistance for rent is available through RAFT funding.