3/25/2020 Press Conference on COVID-19 Updates

On March 25th, Governor Baker held a press conference to provide an update on extending school closures, steps to protect homeowners and low-income tenants, division of banks, and grocery stores.

Here is the summary.

Schools

• Today the Governor signed an order to order all schools and all non-emergency child care programs to remain closed through the end of April, re-opening no sooner than Monday, May 4th.

  • The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will work with schools to further develop educational programs students can use at home.

• The administration is partnering with WGBH to launch online educational resources for students across the Commonwealth.

  • WGBH will televise educational content from 12pm to 5pm, Monday through Friday, because they understand that not every district or student has the same access to computers, internet, and tablets. (Locally Channel 2)

    • Please view more at WGBH.org

Steps to protect homeowners and low-income tenants

• The Department of Housing and Community Development is issuing guidance that directs owners of state aid low-income housing including local housing authorities and affordable housing operators to suspend all non-emergency evictions.

• The DHCD will suspend any terminations on federal and state rental vouchers under their purview.

• A new COVID-19 rental assistance for families and transition or RAFT program will be set up with mass housing to assist families facing rent insecurity during this public health emergency.

• MA housing will contribute $5 million to the RAFT program to keep households in stable situations when facing housing emergencies from the loss of income and increase in expenses or both.

• Households facing rent insecurity due to the impacts of COVID-19 will be able to apply for financial assistance up to $4,000.

  • Residents can apply through their regional administering agency. More information on this program can be found at mass.gov/dhcd

Division of Banks

• The division of banks has also issued new guidance to MA financial institutions and lenders outlining the steps we expect them to take to provide relief for borrowers.

  • This includes postponing foreclosures for 60 days and refraining from reporting late payments to credit rating agencies for at least 60 days.

Grocery Stores

• Administration is working with the Attorney General and the Department of Public Health to issue a new public health order related to grocery stores and pharmacies.

  • Grocery stores and pharmacies will remain open, as they are considered an essential service, during this state of emergency.

  • This new order will require:

    • Grocery stores and pharmacies to provide at least one hour a day for adults over 60 years old to shop.

    • Grocery stores and pharmacies to offer a host of sanitation options like hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes as they are available to clean shopping carts and frequent points of contact.

    • A marked social distancing line at six feet apart from any check out counter to ensure that both employees and customers remain at least 6 feet apart at all times.

    • Store employees to stay home if they are not feeling well and requests that stores accommodate employees that fall into the high risk populations to do an alternative assignment with less exposure.

    • For reusable bags to be prohibited and for all regulations on plastic bag bans to be lifted.

    • Stores shall not charge for paper and plastic bags at this time.