In October 2020, the Baker Administration announced funding for a comprehensive Eviction Diversion Initiative (EDI) as a Massachusetts moratorium on evictions ended. SCCLS’ Eviction Legal Assistance Project, funded as part of that initiative, provides legal representation to eligible tenants facing eviction during the pandemic. Rental assistance also remains available as part of this initiative.

Since the beginning of the project, SCCLS Attorneys and paralegals have been able to provide legal help to hundreds of tenants facing loss of their homes. For example, SCCLS helped:

• John, an older Veteran suffering from multiple health issues, obtain rental assistance and a favorable court decision that saved his tenancy;
• Selena, who had been served with eviction papers because COVID caused a reduction in her work hours, leaving her unable to pay her rent. Selena does not speak or read English, making it difficult for her to apply for rental assistance on her own. SCCLS’ Eviction Legal Help team was able to communicate with Selena in Spanish, and help her complete her rental assistance application to obtain the rental assistance she needed to save her home;
• Edward, who contacted SCCLS after receiving a 48 hour notice from the sheriff after a judgment entered against him in an eviction case. SCCLS represented Edward at a hearing and helped him obtain an additional 45 days to move to a new home with a full waiver of all claims for rent because of conditions problems in Edward’s apartment;
• Deborah who had missed a court hearing because of problems with Zoom, the remote platform used by the court to conduct hearings. Deborah had been defaulted and was scheduled to be moved out when she was referred to our Eviction Legal Help team, who helped her avert the eviction.

If your landlord is telling you to leave your home, please contact us at 800.244.9023. We’re here to listen. We’re here to help.

If you are in need of help paying your rent, click here to learn more about rental assistance programs available in Massachusetts.