Today, City of Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, City Manager Louis A. DePasquale, and Commissioner of Public Health Dr. Assaad J. Sayah announced an Emergency Order “Establishing a Moratorium on Eviction Enforcement and Non-Essential Entry by Property Owners and Their Agents Into Occupied Dwelling Units in the City of Cambridge” for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Order applies to both residential and commercial evictions and goes into effect immediately and until further notice. It prohibits forcibly evicting tenants within the City of Cambridge in order to provide for the health, safety, and stability of those who live in and serve our community. Additionally, landlords and/or property owners are not permitted to enter a tenant’s dwelling for non-essential purposes, including the showing of property for sale or rent to potential purchasers/renters without tenant consent.
“As Mayor and City Manager, we have been consistent with our message: the health and safety of our residents is our number one priority. We need residents to stay home and prevent the spread of COVID-19. In order to comply, residents must have a place to call home. Evicting residents and commercial tenants during this time would go against our public health priorities and our decency as a community during a public health crisis. The entire City Council, as well as the City Manager and his Administration, stand with our neighbors during this difficult time,” Mayor Siddiqui and City Manager DePasquale said in a joint statement.
The Eviction Moratorium does not prevent property owners from filing eviction actions, but it does prevent property owners and landlords from carrying out a forcible eviction.
The Eviction Moratorium does not protect tenants from eviction once the City determines that the public health emergency no longer exists. Therefore, tenants and homeowners should continue to make payments or work out payment plans with their landlords or lenders. A letter will be sent to rental housing owners and managers throughout the City of Cambridge with further recommendations as to suspension of rent increases, flexibility for rent payments, and other requests.
Read the full Temporary Emergency Order, Dated April 3, 2020 (PDF)