November 2020
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Status of Eviction Moratorium Protections
Federal Eviction Moratorium Protection for eligible renters currently expires 12/31/2020:
- At-risk renters who meet the requirements spelled out in the CDC notice can sign and share this declaration with their landlord.
- The declaration has been translated into multiple languages. More information here.
- The protection applies to new and already-filed evictions so long as the tenant completes the declaration.
- If landlords fail to comply with the moratorium, there are criminal penalties enforceable by the Department of Justice.
- Tenants are encouraged to make partial payments to their landlords.
- Tenants can still be evicted for reasons other than nonpayment of rent.
Note re: Massachusetts tenants at risk of eviction:
- The state eviction moratorium expired on Oct. 17, 2020.
- Rental Relief: The Commonwealth launched a COVID-19 Eviction Diversion Initiative with supports for both tenants and landlords. Check out Frequently Asked Questions here.
Note re: Rhode Island tenants at risk of eviction:
- Limited eviction defense is available through RI Legal Services and the RI Center for Justice.
- Safe Harbor Housing Program offers tenants a solution outside of the court system by supporting them to create a payment plan with their landlord. To apply, tenants or landlords can visit United Way RI’s website.
- HomeSafe rental assistance fund is open and a common application can be found here; this is a one-time grant of financial assistance for families experiencing housing instability.
- WeR1 program supports those unable to access benefits due to immigration status.
Status of Foreclosure Moratorium Protections
Federal Foreclosure Moratorium for eligible single-family homeowners currently expires 12/31/2020:
- FHA-insured single-family homes: More information on the FHA loan moratorium can be found here.
- Single-family, VA-guaranteed loans: The moratorium protects against the initiation and completion of foreclosures. More information about the VA loan moratorium can be found here.
- USDA-insured (rural), single-family homes: The moratorium protects against the initiation and completion of foreclosures. More information for homeowners with USDA loans can be found here.
- Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are extending forbearance on mortgages through January 31, 2021. Homeowners can check if their mortgage is owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac online.
- Ineligible homeowners who are experiencing financial hardship are encouraged to contact their lender to request a forbearance, a payment plan, or other available resources.
MLPB will continue to monitor eviction- and foreclosure-related developments and provide updates to communities of care. For additional up-to-date information, check out the On Our Mind content at the end of this newsletter and MLPB’s Digital Digest!
New Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Benefits in MA
Massachusetts soon will join other states in providing eligible workers with a new kind of paid benefit – one especially supportive of new parents and caregivers.
This benefit was created by state law and is broader than federal FMLA (Family & Medical Leave Act) protections. Eligible workers in the Commonwealth may be entitled to the following:
As of Jan. 1, 2021:
- Up to 20 weeks of paid leave for an employee’s own serious health condition;
- Up to 12 weeks of paid leave for the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child; and
- Up to 26 weeks of paid leave to care for a family member in the armed services who has a serious health condition.
As of July 1, 2021:
- Up to 12 weeks of paid leave to care for a family member with a serious health condition.
Want more information to support effective planning and problem-solving with individuals and families working in MA?
Check out this helpful PFML fact sheet and workplace poster, generated by the Department of Family and Medical Leave.
For additional up-to-date information, check out MLPB’s Digital Digest!
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Anti-Racism & Health
- New AMA Policy Recognizes Racism as a Public Health Threat (American Medical Association, Nov. 16, 2020)
- Hate-Motivated Behavior: Impacts, Risk Factors, and Interventions (Health Affairs, Nov. 9, 2020)
- Getting Our Knees Off Black People’s Necks: An Anti-Racist Approach to Medical Care (Health Affairs, Nov. 4, 2020)
- COVID-19 And Health Disparities: Insights From Key Informant Interviews (Health Affairs, Oct. 27, 2020)
- The Black Lives Next Door (The New York Times, Aug. 14, 2020)
Care Delivery & Financing Transformation
- Rhode Islanders Weigh In on the Factors Shaping Public Health (The Boston Globe, Nov. 16, 2020)
- ‘These Inequities Are Heartbreaking’: AG Healey Urges Action on Health Care Disparities (The Boston Globe, Nov. 16, 2020)
- Indiana’s Section 1115 Medicaid Waiver and Interagency Coordination Improve Enrollment For Justice-Involved Adults (Health Affairs, Nov. 2020) (subscription required)
- Recognizing Frailties In How We Measure Health and Health Care — And Charting a Pandemic-Resistant Path Forward (Health Affairs, Oct. 9, 2020)
- Misunderstood: How Public Health’s Inability To Communicate Keeps Communities Unhealthy (Health Affairs, Oct. 8, 2020)
Digital Equity & Utility Needs
- Too Many Rural Americans Are Living In the Digital Dark. The Problem Demands a New Deal Solution (Health Affairs, Oct. 28, 2020)
- Assessing Efforts to Ensure Equitable Access to Broadband Services that Support Public Health (Network for Public Health Law, Oct. 8, 2020)
Early Childhood
- Connecting the Dots: Improving Child Care Workers’ Conditions Leads to Better Health, Economic Stability, and Greater Equity (Health Affairs, Oct. 20, 2020)
- Measuring Equity From the Start: Disparities In the Health Development of US Kindergartners (Health Affairs, Oct. 2020) (subscription required)
- Children and the Opioid Epidemic: Age-Stratified Exposures and Harms (Health Affairs, Oct. 2020) (subscription required)
- What We Say and What We Do: Why US Investments in Children’s Health Are Falling Short (Health Affairs, Oct. 2020) (subscription required)
Economic Inclusion & Employment
- Strengthening Family Caregiving Policies and Programs Through State Collaboration (Health Affairs, Nov. 12, 2020)
- A Business Case for Improving the Well-Being of Essential Shift Workers (Health Affairs Blog, Oct. 28, 2020)
- Chelsea is About to Become the Country’s Biggest Experiment in Giving Out No-Strings-Attached Checks (The Boston Globe, Oct. 17, 2020)
- COVID-19-s Impact on Older Workers: Employment, Income, and Medicare Spending (Commonwealth Fund, Oct. 2020)
Housing
- Beyond Shelter: Sustaining Public Housing Communities Before and After a Pandemic (Boston Bar Journal, Nov. 18, 2020)
- Better Housing Improves People’s Lives — Health Benefits Should Be Seen as a Bonus (Milbank Quarterly, Nov. 12, 2020)
- The Pandemic Has Exacerbated Housing Instability for Renters of Color (Center for American Progress, Oct. 30, 2020)
- Judge Blocks Trump’s Bid to Loosen Housing Discrimination Law — For Now (The Boston Globe, Oct. 26, 2020)
- When Falling Behind on Rent Leads to Jail Time (ProPublica, Oct. 26, 2020)
- Delays and Debt Mount as State Rent Relief Program Strains to Meet Demand (The Boston Globe, Oct. 24, 2020)
- In the Nation’s Asthma Capital, Plans to Burn Wood for Energy Spark Fury (The Boston Globe, Oct. 20, 2020)
- Can’t Make Rent, Can’t Get Evicted (Marketplace, Oct. 1, 2020)
Immigration
- Undocumented and Pregnant: Why Women are Afraid to Get Prenatal Care (The New York Times, Nov. 22, 2020)
- Spreading Fear: The Announcement of the Public Charge Rule Reduced Enrollment in Child Safety-Net Programs (Health Affairs, Oct. 2020) (subscription required)
LGBTQAI+ Health
- In Boston, Councilors Propose Gender-Inclusive City Forms and Certificates (The Boston Globe, Nov. 16, 2020)