HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4072        FILED ON: 2/19/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4148

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Mike Connolly and Lindsay N. Sabadosa

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act canceling the rent and providing relief to all impacted by the COVID-19 emergency.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Mike Connolly

26th Middlesex

2/19/2021

Lindsay N. Sabadosa

1st Hampshire

2/19/2021

Christopher Hendricks

11th Bristol

2/26/2021

Nika C. Elugardo

15th Suffolk

2/26/2021

Marcos A. Devers

16th Essex

3/6/2021


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4072        FILED ON: 2/19/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4148

By Representatives Connolly of Cambridge and Sabadosa of Northampton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 4148) of Mike Connolly, Lindsay N. Sabadosa and others for legislation to provide rental payments to certain tenants or occupants unable to pay due to the COVID-19 emergency.  Housing.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

_______________

 

An Act canceling the rent and providing relief to all impacted by the COVID-19 emergency.

 

Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to provide forthwith for certain necessaries pursuant to Article 47 of the Constitution, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public safety.
 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, payment of residential use and occupancy due and owing to landlords or lessors, whose tenants or occupants are unable to pay for such use and occupancy for reasons related directly or indirectly to the COVID-19 emergency, shall be paid forthwith by the commonwealth and shall be a payment of necessaries pursuant to Article 47 of the Amendments of the Constitution.

Upon application of the landlord of financial distress due to nonpayment of use and occupancy for reasons related directly or indirectly to the COVID-19 emergency, the department of housing and community development, or any of its assignees, shall make payments for such use and occupancy within 10 business days of application. Such application and payment shall be payment in full of the commonwealth’s financial obligation.

SECTION 2. The department of housing and community development shall forthwith set forth policies for the implementation of this act with the goal of preserving housing stability for COVID-19 impacted residents by more effectively, equitably and efficiently distributing rental assistance funds and preventing judgments for evictions.

SECTION 3. This act shall expire on January 1, 2023.