September 9, 2025

Eviction and foreclosure activity in Massachusetts (“MA”) is trending upward since the pandemic. According to the MHP’s Center for Housing Data, eviction filings averaged between 3,000 – 3,500 per month between January and June 2025. By contrast, evictions averaged around 2,600 per month pre-pandemic. In the last five (5) years, non-payment of rent accounted for 72% of filings; cause and no-fault cases made up the remaining 27%. During the same period, eviction executions averaged 742 per month. High filing and execution volumes reflect the impact of policy changes in MA including adjustments to RAFT’s application process and the expiration of ERAP, both of which reduced tenant protections and added stress to the state’s housing stability environment.

For context, RAFT (the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition program) provides short-term financial assistance to households at risk of homelessness. To qualify, tenants must demonstrate a housing crisis through documentation such as a “Notice to Quit”. Changes to RAFT procedures in 2023 likely altered how tenants engaged with the program and made access potentially more difficult for some households. ERAP, (the Emergency Rental Assistance Program) operated during the pandemic with federal funds to cover rent arrears and utilities. The program ended in 2022, and its expiration removed a safety net for renters behind on payments. These two shifts together likely contributed to rising eviction filings across the state – data that both lenders and servicers in the state may find relevant for their portfolios.

Similarly, foreclosure petitions remain steady but above pre-pandemic levels since the state’s Moratorium on Foreclosures ended in June 2021. In April 2025, ATTOM reported that MA ranked 28th nationally with one foreclosure filing for every 5,442 housing units. That ranking slightly improved in July 2025, to 30^th place, with one filing for every 6,267 housing units.  For lenders and servicers, the combination of increased eviction activity in MA and elevated foreclosure levels may signal longer judicial timelines. The same combination may also create a greater risk of contested proceedings and increased operational costs. Legal professionals should monitor state policy developments to better advise their lending and servicing clients. They should also consider advanced preparation for (1) extended litigation cycles and (2) factor eviction and foreclosure dynamics into broader risk management strategies.