Some of the littlest voices in Massachusetts tackled big issues on Sunday, joining a group of protesters outside the Massachusetts State House to call for action on the COVID-19 housing equity bill that would put a hold on evictions and foreclosures.
“Right now, more than ever, we need this bill to pass,” said Gabriella Cartagena, community organizer with City Life Vida Urbana.
Both the House and the Senate have a version of the bill, but it hasn't passed yet.
Protesters say there's no excuse for the more than 8,000 eviction cases that have been filed since the moratorium expired in October.
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“We’re here to try and get money for — to help with housing,” said fifth grader Adia Bhargaba, one of the many young voices joining the fight for housing equality. "When you don’t have enough money and you can’t get a good job, you need help so that you don’t get evicted.”
Other students like Eli Helman are also passionate about the cause.
“You don’t just want to get evicted,” said Helman, who doesn't believe the coronavirus pandemic should make you homeless. "You don’t want to leave your house and then being like, ‘Oh, wait! I can’t go back to this house. I’m living on the streets.’”
Since the eviction and foreclosure moratorium expired this past fall, organizers say more than a thousand of the 8,000+ eviction cases have resulted in families losing their homes.
