Housing Headlines

In a letter sent March 2 to to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Ayanna Pressley warned that the lack of demographic data on who is being tested for COVID-19 is a recipe for creating containment strategies that will not address its spread in low-income communities of color. The lawmakers urged the HHS secretary to direct to work with municipalities, states and private labs to ensure that racial and ethnic data are being collected.

BOSTON --- It looks like a few people at Boston Private Bank worked over the weekend as the bank on Monday had policies in place and a web site page set up for homeowners who are worried about making their mortgage payments. For those experiencing financial difficulty as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Boston Private is offering three months of payment deferment on residential mortgages.

WORCESTER --- For the Worcester Telegram, reporter Bill Shaner follows Chris Robarge, who prepared coronavirus protection kits by himself and walked around Worcester to hand them out to homeless people. One of the things they discovered that in addition to needing hand sanitizer, tissues and antibiotic ointment, the homeless need bottled water as public place shutdowns means Worcester's poorest have less access to bathrooms and free drinking water.

QUINCY --- Calling it the "toughest couple of weeks" he's ever had, the president of Quincy's largest homeless shelter has had to turn away multiple guests who were experiencing coronavirus symptoms, the Patriot Ledger reported last week. Father Bill's shelters up to 125 a night and almost always is at or over capacity, meaning guests and staff are in close contact. When guests have to be turned away because of worrying symptoms, they’re directed to the Barbara McInnis House in Boston, which helps homeless people who are too sick for life in shelters but not sick enough for an acute care hospital bed, said John Yazwinski, president and CEO.

BOSTON --- In what may be repeated across Boston, city officials have established a temporary medical clinic outside the Southampton Street Shelter and will use two tents to isolate residents who show symptoms or have been exposed to the coronavirus. According to the story, there are 17 beds designated for people diagnosed with the virus.

BOSTON --- The Citizens' Housing & Planning Association will hold a second virtual strategy meeting on affordable housing's response to the coronavirus on Friday, March 20 at 2:30 p.m. Last Friday's initial meeting was attended by 130 housing professionals and featured updates from the state, shelter providers, regional nonprofits and others.