Framingham Enacts Eviction Moratorium, But Rent Still Owed

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Framingham this week joined the small number of communities in Massachusetts that have enacted local eviction moratoriums after the statewide ban expired in October.

Framingham's moratorium — drafted by Mayor Yvonne Spicer and approved jointly with the Board of Health on Monday — generally prevents evictions while the state coronavirus public health emergency remains in effect. Gov. Charlie Baker declared the state of emergency in March 2020.

"[L]ocal and state officials have advised that their residents should stay home and socially distance wherever possible to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and evictions would make it impossible for Framingham residents to stay at home and potentially render them homeless, thus further increasing the risk to public health and safety posed by COVID-19," the moratorium highlights.

According to the Massachusetts Housing Partnership, evictions in the state have returned to pre-pandemic levels without a statewide moratorium in place. Just under 700 evictions were filed by the end of November, about the same as levels seen in January and February 2020.

Framingham's moratorium does leave room for evictions "deemed necessary for public health or safety."

Like most moratoriums, Framingham's does not eliminate rent payments. Renters would still owe any missed payments. The order directs renters to state and local rental assistance programs, which do have income limits. The state's Emergency Rental and Mortgage Assistance (ERMA) program caps assistance at households less than 80 percent of the area median income — about $68,000 for a single-person household in Framingham.

Framingham resident Mary Memmott brought a petition for a local eviction moratorium to City Council in January. Following that, the Framingham Democratic Committee drafted its own resolution and submitted it to City Council this month. On Feb. 2, the Councilors decided to leave the moratorium up to Spicer and the Board of Health to enact.

Cambridge and Somerville have also enacted local eviction moratoriums. The Centers for Disease Control also recently extended a nationwide eviction ban until March 31.