Eviction sealing passed conference. Ask the Governor to veto NOW
. Posted in News, policy - 31 Comments
Unfortunately, on August 6, Governor Maura Healey signed eviction sealing into law. Cases will start to disappear from MassCourts.org on May 3, 2025.
Eviction sealing passed conference committee the morning of August 1 as H.4977 Section 52.
It will increase rents in naturally occurring affordable housing by condoning unpaid rent and property damage.
It will harm the 96% of renters who previously relied on their clean eviction record to pass an application.
It will be an impossible waste of time and resources for the court.
It will help the 4% of bad renters who break the rules or stop communicating with their landlord.
The Governor can line-item veto this under Mass. Constitution Amendment 63 Section 5.
Veto Section 52 of H.4977
Copy-paste this:
How would professional tenants like the Callahans seal their records?
The Callahans are professional tenants exposed in an August 5 NBC10 report.
They would only need to take another four-year "sabbatical" to Florida or any other state, like they have in the past. After four years, the new eviction sealing law (section c) will allow them to seal all nonpayment eviction records, including for successful cases. Based on the most recent Worcester County Housing Court case, they will be free to repeat their crimes against another unsuspecting Massachusetts landlord starting October 6, 2027. This is a short time to wait for free housing, especially if they are repeating the trick right now elsewhere.
Called and emailed!
Just emailed the Governor. Thank you.
On behalf many good renters without an eviction record , I am asking you to exercise your power under Mass. Constitution Amendment 63 Section 5 and to line-item veto eviction sealing from the housing bond bill, which appears as Section 52 of H.4977. The reasons why are posted at MassLandlords. Primarily, this will decrease housing opportunity for far more renters than it will help. And as an unfunded mandate, the courts cannot comply without substantially reducing access to justice.
Submitted a response!
called and emailed
Ditto.
Called and left a lengthy message. Thanks for being on top of this issue.
called and emailed
Emailed and called Thank you!
Emailed with a very recent horror story.
Emailed and called. Thank you.
Just Emailed
Called and Emailed. Hoping for a postive outcome!
Called the Governor asked to veto this !
This makes no sense. We want to know the 4% of people who commit this deed but we don’t want anyone to know ?Other malfeasance is known and reportable for the protection of others but not landlords? This of course will encourage not paying rent as there is no penalty and no one can find out.
On behalf of my good renters without an eviction record and for my rental housing business, I am asking you to exercise your
power under Mass. Constitution Amendment 63 Section 5 and to line-item veto eviction sealing from the housing bond bill, which appears as Section 52 of H.4977. The reasons why are posted at MassLandlords. Primarily, this will decrease housing opportunity for far more renters than it will help. And as an unfunded mandate, the courts cannot comply without substantially reducing access to justice.
done,
Sent an email.
Mike DeLuca
Please don’t make Massachusetts consider from scam artist “dumb state that will pay my rent”.
Don’t let them turn our compassion for human dignity, on stupid accessibility free rent state. I got someone moving from RI you never would know as a professional tenant. She new better Mass protection rent laws and did more than 23k in financial steal from a mom and pop Mass small business. And 7000 of those would have been taxes that I would have paid for US and state of Mass.
Just emailed Governor Healey.
Message sent.
Emailed! Will call tomorrow!
Thanks for sharing this useful information with me.
I did send email to the governor. Thanks for alerting us. How did this turn out? It would be good if you can issue a general notice on the resullts.
Royce
Just emailed.. this is gonna be real bad for everyone if this passes.. they do not think of unindented consequences..
I just emailed the Governor
I called and had to leave a message. I e-mailed my Reps, but the people in the Conference didn’t listen, so I hope Governor Healey will.
Emailed Gov. Healey. Thank you for all the effort you have put into this.
Did not use suggested format but instead wrote as follows below.
________
Dear Governor Healey:
I write to ask that you veto the eviction sealing legislation that awaits your signature. The law would effectively deny public access to critically important information needed to evaluate potential tenants.
When such information is denied, it becomes impossible for many small landlords to continue to rent properties, which in turn will reduce available housing stock, and leave only such active markets as large real estate holding companies or publicly subsidized housing may provide.
I believe that the Commonwealth, even in its fondness for regulation favoring tenants, can appreciate the damage that this law will cause and that, accordingly, you will veto it.
Sincerely,
Mary E. Keane
Looks like we lost this one.. 4 years for nonpayment and 7 for fault evictions before the tenant can request it sealed and cannot have been a defendant in housing court during that time …we can only hope that stops the professional tenants but let’s see what loopholes they find …can landlords also have housing court records sealed from board of health calls and actions brought against them?? We know the answer to that .. tenants should have the right to look into landlords past behavior as we should them to keep everyone honest
Not unexpected but being prepared does little to minimize the harm that is done because of these measures. Rents will increase to absorb the costs of vetting prospective tenants and to take into account defaults on rent.
Mass Landlords’ Beta Search will come in handy. While many people default on their debts and do not seek bankruptcy relief, which makes searching court records inconclusive if no records are found, if there is a bankruptcy in a potential tenant’s background, case search can be made through PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) or through Court Listener. The former has minimal costs and the latter is free of charge.
Does anyone know if Governor Healey signed this or line item vetoed it? I have called & emailed Governor’s office but have not had a response.