Amendment #307 to H4879

Landlord's right to a timely hearing on eviction

Miss Garry of Dracut moves to amend the bill in Section 109, by striking subsection (b) and inserting in place thereof the following language, " Notwithstanding said chapter 186 or said chapter 239, or any other general or special law, rule, regulation or order to the contrary, a court having jurisdiction over an action for summary process related to said chapter 239, including the Boston municipal court department, may require pre-eviction mediation prior to an eviction hearing or trial for non-payment of rent by a tenant of a residential dwelling unit if said hearing can be held within 20 days of the entry date. If a pre-eviction mediation can not be held within 20 days of the entry date, the eviction hearing or trial shall be scheduled to the next available court date.  If the Defendant has had two or more prior evictions filed against them for non-payment in the Commonwealth in the last ten years, the hearing or trial shall proceed as scheduled. If the court determines the plaintiff has been unable to pay his mortgage due to the nonpayment of rent, the hearing or trial shall proceed as scheduled.  An eviction hearing or trial for non-payment of rent by a tenant of a residential dwelling unit shall proceed if the court determines that the parties have made a good-faith effort to come to a resolution in a pre-eviction mediation.

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #307 to H4879

Landlord's right to a timely hearing on eviction