LYNN — Multi-generation tenants, homeowners, activists and supporters of the Home for all Massachusetts Coalition testified in Westford at the First Parish Church United on Monday, demanding that the state legislature pass bills related to protecting tenants and ending the prohibition of rent control in the commonwealth.
Forty people from Lynn, Boston, Chelsea, Westford and surrounding areas participated in the protest, with around 10 to 15 of the participants coming from Lynn.
One Lynn participant, Dina Eamoul, told her story of how she and her children faced an overcrowded apartment and rising rental debt in Lynn, along with the threat of being infected with COVID-19.
“When my niece got infected and got sick from COVID-19, we all got sick,” she said. “It was impossible to self-isolate and it was impossible for people to not get sick with so many people in the same house.”
Another Lynn tenant, who goes by the name of “Pebbles” and was at the rally, said her living situation was affected by COVID-19 as well, as she stopped working as a taxi driver and fell behind on her rent.
“I must say during these times, I found myself very desperate about what has been forced on me and my family,” she told the crowd. “I’ve always been very responsible with paying my rent on time because that’s what kept me and my daughter with a roof over my head.”
There are three bills the activists want the legislature to pass.
The first bill prevents COVID-19 evictions and foreclosures and promotes equitable housing recovery. The second bill would remove the prohibition on rent control and provide tenant and foreclosure protections. The third bill would enable local-tenant protections.
The first bill has two different versions drafted by the state House and Senate. Currently, all of the bills are still with the Joint Housing Committee.
The House bill to prevent COVID-19 evictions and foreclosures has 73 co-sponsors. Three legislators who represent Lynn — state Reps. Peter Capano (D-Lynn), Daniel Cahill (D-Lynn) and Lori Ehrlich (D-Marblehead) — are among them. The Senate version has 25 co-sponsors, but none from Lynn. Capano also supports the rent-control bill, which has 35 co-sponsors.
Homes for all Massachusetts Communications Co-Director Gabriela Cartagena said the group chose Westford as the rally site because it is the home of state Rep. James Arciero (D-Middlesex), who serves as the House chair on the Joint Committee.
“We want to make sure that he and the rest of the State House hear us and our concerns as tenants and homeowners,” Cartagena said. “We are going to continue doing this for the rest of the year and our next meeting is expected to be in February.”
