Eviction Filings Continue Amid Crisis

The Massachusetts House and Senate have advanced bills that would halt evictions and foreclosures as the coronavirus shutdown continues. But by Friday the two chambers couldn’t agree on a final version — and now the measure goes to a conference committee of six lawmakers to hash out differences over the days ahead.

Since the state’s Housing Court closed to non-essential business, the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute estimates that more than 500 eviction cases have been filed. The longer the state doesn’t have an eviction moratorium in effect, advocates say, the more eviction cases will pile up to be litigated after the state of emergency.

The group’s Andrea Park said she’s optimistic the final legislation will protect a broad swath of renters, but wants to be sure no loopholes allow renters to be “dispossessed of their units during this pandemic, either by judicial decree or by agreement.” …Read more from WBUR.