Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) says that her “HELP Act would give a lifeline to families facing eviction and vital resources during this time of crisis,” arguing that “housing is a human right” and that “evictions are an act of policy violence.”
Promoting the act on social media, Pressley said:
Eviction is an act of violence, and we have to do everything to prevent it. It is devastating for the families. It degrades the health of communities.
There is great stigma associated with it. It affects your credit score. Housing is a human right. It is a predictor of health outcomes.
It’s essential for social and economic mobility, and so many people, when they receive a notice to quit or to vacate their homes, usually because of non payment, because wages are not keeping pace with inflation, they don’t know their rights, and a lot of times, they will just accept that notice to quit and leave. And so my legislation is making sure they have access because we found that when tenants know their rights, when they have access to legal counsel we can usually keep them safely housed.
Pressley’s comments on eviction are consistent with the housing agenda she has pursued alongside other members of the “Squad.” During the coronavirus pandemic, Pressley joined Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) in backing legislation that would have canceled rent and mortgage payments nationwide.
Pressley and the other lawmakers first supported the proposal in 2020 and later reintroduced the legislation in March 2021.
The housing push also drew attention because both Tlaib and Pressley reported receiving rental income while supporting a nationwide pause on rent payments. Tlaib disclosed receiving between $15,001 and $50,000 in rental income in both 2020 and 2021 from a Detroit property she owns, while Pressley and her husband reported between $5,000 and $15,000 in rental income in 2020.
In February 2024, after Walgreens announced the closure of another pharmacy location in Roxbury, Massachusetts, Pressley said the move was “part of a larger trend of abandoning low-income communities” and described it as “life-threatening acts of racial and economic discrimination.”
Hellbound and Down 