General 2 — MCAN

HOUSING IS A RIGHT, NOT A PRIVILEGE

Having a place to call home provides the foundation from which to build a work and educational life. Without housing security, the ability to sustain economic stability can be dramatically challenged.

Several MCAN affiliates are addressing housing needs and challenges as determined locally by their leaders. Through a deliberative process led by their leaders of color, Essex County Community Organization is undertaking a multi-year campaign to address barriers to affordable housing on the North Shore and to explore the best strategies to make affordable, multi-family housing possible while deconstructing the legacy of racist housing policy that has maintained wealth gaps and segregation in that region. In response to ECCO’s efforts, Mayor Jared Nicholson announced in November 2022 his proposal to devote more than half of Lynn’s remaining ARPA funding to affordable housing. Further, thanks to ECCO’s calls for community voice and accountability, the mayor proposed to allocate $5.5 million to a housing trust, a rent stabilization program, and rental vouchers to those most in need, all of which will explicitly give directly-affected community members a central voice in shaping what and who gets funded in Lynn.

“Mi situación es que tengo desalojo y no tengo dinero para rentar un apartamento. Tengo cuatro niñas y solo mi esposo trabaja, lo cual hace imposible poder pagar una renta tan alta. (Con ECCO) estoy sorprendida porque no sabia que iba a encontrar a personas que se interesan por los demas. ECCO son muy unidos, carismáticos para apoyar a los demas que necesitan. Me encanta ECCO y me gustaría poder seguir capacitándome y poder seguir ayudando a otras personas.”

“My current situation is that I have an eviction pending for next week and I don't have the money to rent an apartment. I have four girls and only my husband works, which makes it impossible to pay such a high rent. (With ECCO) I am surprised, because I did not know that I was going to find people who are interested in others. People at ECCO are very united, charismatic to support others in need. I love ECCO and I wish I could continue training and be able to continue helping other people.”
Martha Lopez, Leader
Essex County Community Organization

The leaders of United Interfaith Action of Southeastern Massachusetts are challenging the City of New Bedford to address exceedingly high rates of eviction, growing waitlists for housing, and undue cost burdens, all of which outpace comparably sized jurisdictions in the state.

Throughout the earliest months of Covid, MCAN affiliates across the state worked for the passage of the House Bill 4647 to prevent evictions and foreclosures that would have otherwise resulted from a loss of employment due to the pandemic.

Multiple extensions of this moratorium were won as well as measures to secure national Covid relief. Prophetic Resistance Boston leaders recognized the importance of providing information for Black and Brown communities who were hardest hit by the COVID Pandemic. In partnership with City Life/Vida Urbana, they hosted a webinar with the City of Boston’s Office of Housing Stabilization and a rally to bring awareness to evictions happening as a result of the pandemic. MCAN’s youth affiliate, I Have A Future draws attention to a range of legislative issues, including housing, through an annual rally each February. In 2022, youth advocates reached out to legislators to express their support of COVID-19 Housing Equity and tenant protections for rent control.

I Have A Future
Youth Justice Rally
Boston, February 2022