WORCESTER, Mass. - City Manager Ed Augustus will present findings from the City Solicitor on a report concerning a potential moratorium on foreclosures and evictions in the city at Tuesday night's City Council meeting. 

District 5 city councilor Etel Haxhiaj filed an order last week requesting the city look into a moratorium and city councilors Sarai Rivera, Sean Rose and Khrystian King signed on to support the order.

Some city landlords, however, aren’t on board.  “An eviction moratorium is a really, really bad idea.” Mike DeLuca said.  DeLuca owns 35 rental units in the city and said an eviction moratorium will actually work against the city’s goal of more housing at more affordable rates. 

“We want people to be housed too,” DeLuca said. “But when you propose an eviction moratorium, you are increasing the cost of housing. If I can’t evict, then I am going to charge as much money as I can to cover my costs. A lot of landlords now aren’t going to take a chance. They are going to leave the apartment vacant because I can’t kick you out.” 

What You Need To Know

  • A report provided by the City Solicitor concerning a potential moratorium on foreclosures and evictions in the city will be presented at Tuesday night's City Council meeting
  • Some housing advocates support the proposal, while some landlords disagree with the idea
  • Mike DeLuca, a Worcester landlord, said a moratorium would go against the city's goal of creating more housing at more affordable rates
  • Leah Bradley, CEO of Central Mass Housing Alliance, said its encouraging to see a conversation about the issue

Central Massachusetts Housing Alliance CEO, Leah Bradley, said it’s encouraging to see a conversation about the issue. 

​"Keeping children, seniors, those that are most vulnerable in our community in housing, really helps families limit their exposure to others," Bradley said. “You know, the eviction is really just a small portion.”

Bradley said it’s a start, but a moratorium is a temporary fix to a long-running problem and wants to see more long-term investments into affordable housing. 

“There’s not a unit that is affordable in that same income level or renting market that they can afford so they are temporarily living with folks, facing homelessness,” Bradley said. “So, I think (the city council) taking on a conversation about this is the right way to go.”

Rental assistance programs have helped keep people in their homes. DeLuca has worked with two tenants unable to pay rent during the pandemic. He said they have not offered landlords the same help as renters over the last two years. 

“Landlords have gotten hosed the whole time here,” DeLuca said. “It’s all about of the tenants. I’ll tell you right now, these landlords are never going to see the money. Never, ever, ever.”