Today, Massachusetts Senator Lydia Edwards celebrated the 1-year anniversary of the eviction sealing law—and the eviction sealing tool built by LIT Clinic students in collaboration with the Massachusetts Trial Court.
The eviction sealing law, which took effect one year ago today, gives tenants the right to “seal” evictions under specific circumstances so they are no longer part of the public court records available to tenant screening services. A past eviction often results in a rejected application and makes it difficult to find housing.
[A] milestone rooted in the belief that past housing challenges should never permanently define a person’s future.
—Senator Lydia Edwards
Housing is more than a roof over our heads. It’s a foundation for stability, dignity, and opportunity. When families are uprooted by eviction, the impact can be devastating. But when we stabilize housing, we stabilize people.
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Together, we are building a future where housing is a pathway to opportunity—not a barrier.
One year since launch, the eviction sealing tool on Court Forms Online has been used to file over 3,200 petitions to seal an eviction. That’s over half the total eviction sealing petitions filed (6,284)!
Last week the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute also released Let’s Clear the Record, a new eviction sealing podcast. The first episode covers how advocates, organizers, and service providers can effectively connect with tenants and ensure people know their rights and options for sealing eviction records.
Listen now:
Learn more about eviction sealing at MLRI’s Mass Legal Help website.