After the expiration of Massachusettsâ eviction moratorium, hundreds of renters in Berkshire County found eviction notices taped to their doors.
In the month after Oct. 17, when the moratorium was lifted, 327 14-day notices were served through the Berkshire County Sheriffâs Office. During the same period last year, 102 were served.
Although a notice to quit formally communicates a landlordâs intent to terminate the lease, tenants do not have to leave their housing until a court orders an execution after hearing the case.
âThe wave that we were all concerned with has definitely arrived,â said Elton Ogden, president of the Berkshire Housing Development Corp. and Berkshire Housing Services.
An eviction crisis: Making the case for more help
Housing activists gather in front of Gov. Charlie Baker s house, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020, in Swampscott, Mass. Renters are still being evicted during the coronavirus pandemic despite a federal order that is supposed to keep them in their homes. The nationwide eviction ban went into effect Sept. 4 and was supposed to replace many state and local bans that had expired. But tenant advocates said there are still people unaware of the directive implemented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that broadly prevents evictions for nonpayment of rent through the end of 2020. ( AP