As you may know, the BBA has endorsed the Trial Court’s plan to expand the
Housing Court’s jurisdiction to cover the entire state. You can read more
about the plan here and here. And be sure to read this Boston
Globe op-ed by Chief Justice Gants, and this
fact sheet .This
change would for the first time grant Housing Court access to the one-third of
Massachusetts residents who currently live outside its jurisdiction.
That goal is finally within reach, as Governor Charlie Baker has included in
his budget for Fiscal Year 2017 (FY17) both language authorizing the expansion
and $1 million toward funding it. This important access-to-justice issue
is now in the hands of the State House of Representatives and Senate, as they
take up the Governor’s plan in the coming weeks and months.
We urge you to call or e-mail your Senator and Representative to ask them to
support statewide Housing Court’s jurisdiction as part of the FY17 budget.
That small step can help make a statewide Housing Court a reality for all
Massachusetts residents. You can tell them:
- Only the Housing Court has trained, dedicated Housing
Specialists who mediate cases to save the time and expense of
litigation.
- Housing Court judges have the expertise
to analyze the labyrinth of federal, state, and local laws on
housing.
- Housing Court is set up to quickly and efficiently
respond to emergencies and building, fire, and sanitary code violations
– problems that sometimes go unaddressed in unserved municipalities, because
local officials lack the time and resources to go through back-logged District
Courts.
- Housing Court’s Tenancy Preservation Program (TPP)
prevents homelessness among people with disabilities.
Click here to find
out who your legislators are. And if either of them is on this
list of legislators whose districts include currently unserved areas,
your call is especially critical. Thank you for all that you do to support
access to justice for all in the Commonwealth.