…and pass h.4595, “An Act to stabilize neighborhoods?” The Senate passed the damn thing months ago–UNANIMOUSLY!!!–as it’s a NO-COST to the taxpayers, common-sense bill that actually affords real protection to those being screwed by our infinitely mismanaged economy.

(NB: the legislative session ends on JULY 31!!!)

We’re looking at around 12,000  

homes lost to foreclosures across the state this year–and the impact goes well beyond those individual families being screwed. It doesn’t exactly do wonders for housing values in your neighborhood, which in turn doesn’t really help establish the tax base you need for decent schools. This bill actually helps; according to the Citizen Housing and Planning Association, it

“Refines the existing right to cure a default to incentivize good faith efforts to modify loans and prevent foreclosures; provides equitable protections for tenants in foreclosed properties until the lender sells the property;  criminalizes mortgage fraud; [and] creates a new local option to help rehabilitate foreclosed properties.”

The bill was approved by Committee on April 8th. In the meantime, the legislature’s been jerking off endlessly around the really important issue of whether to include racinos in the casino bill. And the Governor? With FIVE DAYS left in this legislative session, he figured it was more important to gallivant around Iraq and Kuwait and tell us how “hopeful” he is about the wars that have cost the Commonwealth of Massachusetts roughly TWENTY-NINE BILLION FUCKING DOLLARS since 2001.

City Life/Vida Urbana, MAAPL, aand other civic and religious groups will be holding a vigil in support of this legislation in front of the Statehouse Wednesday at noon. Try to be there. If you can’t, please call your legislator and tell them to get this damn thing voted on NOW.