Comrades:

The massive job losses due to COVID are making it difficult for many
residents of Berkshire County to pay rent this month. A bill is currently
being discussed in the legislature to *cancel rent* but it will be watered
down unless we call on our representatives to do the right thing. Below,
you can find a script to call your reps and a petition to sign.

(Call-in information for our Monthly Meeting on Thursday, 4/16, will be
sent tomorrow.)

In solidarity,
Sid


[image: IMG_8117.jpeg]


Click here for a call script to ban evictions and cancel rent statewide.
<[link removed]>


The state legislature needs to be nudged. Last week, the house passed a
bill to stop evictions until the crisis is over. But the state senate is
trying to put in a loophole that would let landlords informally evict
without going through the courts. Which is how most evictions happen
anyway! It’s not good enough, and we need to ask them to keep the full
protections in the house bill. The senate is taking this up t*his week *so
we need to call asap.

But we know stopping evictio*ns isn't *g*ood en*ough.

Let’s cancel the rent.



Campaigns are underway in all 50 states to secure rent cancellation. If
people can’t work, it’s not realistic to ask them to pay back months-worth
of rent at the end of the crisis.



Corporations and landlords are already busy lobbying for relief -- So we
need to make workers' voices heard too.

Use this call script to demand that your reps take up rent cancellation:

bit.ly/CancelRentMA

Sign and share the petition that’s been endorsed by Boston DSA and dozens
of organizations:

housingguarantee.org <[link removed]>
<[link removed]>


--
__________________
Christian Kennedy
Sidney Rothstein
Co-Chairs, Executive Committee
Berkshires DSA
berkshiresdsa.org

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