Pandemic Policy Extension Bill Advanced by the Senate Ways & Means Committee

The Senate Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday advanced a pandemic policy extension bill S.2467, that would continue many of the pandemic-era policies beyond the June 15th, end of the COVID-19 state of emergency. It includes some changes and extensions to the eviction prevention law passed in Dec 2020 — Chapter 257 of the Acts of 2020 — that established certain eviction protections and policy changes for tenants.

The bill extends Chapter 257 tenant protections until April 1, 2022. Specifically, the bill:

• Removes the connection of Eviction protection law to the Federal CDC moratorium after it ends;
• Continues to require landlords to provide information on rental assistance and any relevant information on evictions with the Notice to Quit (it is set to expire on June 30th 2020);
• 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 1st, 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.

Analysis of the amended Chapter 257 language as proposed by the Senate Ways & Means Proposal. 

CHAPA thanks Chair Rodrigues and members of the Senate Ways & Means Committee for extending eviction prevention provisions from the pandemic era. This will help ensure housing stability for many households in Massachusetts beyond the state of emergency.  

The Senate plans to take up the bill during a formal session on Thursday, June 10th.