Legislation

Click here to see the latest list of MAAPL’s priority legislation for the current session.

MAAPL works hard on the State and Municipal level to draft and support legislation that provides important protections to homeowners and tenants facing foreclosure and eviction.

In the spring of 2008, MAAPL took what was viewed as symbolic action to address foreclosures at the state level by late-filing three broad pieces of legislation to stem the tide of the foreclosure crisis. After two years of rallies, flooding legislative hearings, bringing legislators to foreclosure-blighted communities and other organizing efforts, in 2010 MAAPL and allies successfully passed key foreclosure legislation with an unheard-of, unanimous vote in both chambers.

In the summer of 2012, MAAPL again took action to support Massachusetts homeowners and preserve their rights in the foreclosure law that was passed in July and signed by Governor Patrick the following month. MAAPL was disappointed to see several harmful measures included in the foreclosure abatement legislation, and urged Governor Patrick to veto it on that basis.

In 2014, MAAPL won a significant legislative victory by defeating S.1987, a bill that would have stripped homeowners of their right to sue to regain their illegally foreclosed homes by sharply reducing the window for illegally foreclosed homeowners to sue to regain their homes from 20 years down to 1 year.

MAAPL will continue its legislative work to help prevent unnecessary foreclosures, protect homeowners’ rights, and support homeowners and tenants in fighting foreclosures and evictions throughout Massachusetts.

Documents and Legislation

Information about legislation proposed or passed during the current MA legislative session is posted here. Information about older legislation related to the foreclosure crisis is posted on the Archive of Previous Bills page. Please also see our Action Alerts page for information about previous and current press releases, rallies, speak-outs, and other actions.