Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell announced on April 1 that more than $500,000 in grant funding has been awarded to eight organizations across Massachusetts. The funding is intended to help implement the state’s new eviction sealing law by supporting legal services, clinics, and educational outreach for residents seeking to seal their eviction records.
The initiative aims to address barriers faced by individuals with eviction records when searching for stable housing. Campbell said, “A record of an eviction case, even if the case has been dismissed or was brought in retaliation for a tenant exercising their rights, can have devastating impacts on a person’s ability to obtain housing.” She added, “I am proud to partner with these eight incredible organizations to support projects across the state helping residents seal their eviction records and open the door to stable housing for thousands of individuals.”
Organizations receiving grants include Community Legal Aid; Greater Boston Legal Services; Justice Resource Institute; Massachusetts Fair Housing Center; Massachusetts Law Reform Institute; Northeast Legal Aid; Suffolk University; and Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Boston Bar Association. Each organization will provide targeted services such as legal assistance with sealing records, hosting clinics and outreach events, distributing educational materials in multiple languages, and collaborating with community partners. For example, Community Legal Aid will oversee direct client assistance and organize clinics alongside its CORI/Reentry Unit. Attorney Jonathan Maninna of CLA said the grant would allow staff “to help tenants seal their eviction records and…open up the housing market.” Hed Ehrlich from Greater Boston Legal Services described the program as an opportunity “to promote fairness, compassion, and common sense in our real estate market.” Other leaders echoed gratitude for AGO’s support.
Massachusetts’ new law allows tenants whose cases were dismissed or filed unlawfully—even years ago—to petition courts for record sealing. This is expected to reduce long-term negative effects on access to affordable housing. According to project partners like Nuri Sherif at Massachusetts Fair Housing Center: “Eviction sealing is a critical tool” for expanding opportunity.
From 1988-2018 more than one million evictions were filed statewide. Black renters are reportedly 2.4 times more likely than white renters to face an eviction filing despite making up only 11% of renting households—while women of color also face higher risk due in part to discrimination against families with children or survivors of domestic violence.
This grant program was developed by staff within AGO’s Housing Affordability Unit (HAU) as part of broader efforts including recent litigation related to MBTA Communities law compliance and initiatives launched this year focused on increasing affordable multi-family housing options throughout Massachusetts.
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