advocacy

When we buy a car, we read objective reports and compare prices, when we buy a house, we have a professional inspect to be sure it is safe and sound. But when we choose what may be our last home, if we do not use care, we may move into a terrible, unsafe situation and then find ourselves with no way out.

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Happy Fourth!

We have a special reason to celebrate in Massachusetts. Our testimony on S709. the bill to create a commission on bullying, will be heard by the Joint Committee on Housing on Tuesday, July 14, 2015 at the state house on Beacon Hill in Boston; in room B1 from 10:00 AM. Our sponsoring legislators worked with us to make sure our bill would be considered in this first session of the committee.

Now we need your help to convince the members of the committee to favor our cause, and to approve the bill, so we can stop the bullying.

A message to our legislators on Beacon Hill

A plague of bullying creates a toxic environment in subsidized housing—victimizing elderly people and younger disabled people in the place they call home. Bullying prevents a healthy community life, and is harmful to managers, staff, and visitors, as well as to the residents. Bullying deprives victims of their human and civil rights. They experience isolation, exclusion, rejection, malicious gossip, emotional abuse and even violence. They live in fear of unfair eviction and homelessness. Their lives are consumed by conflict, fear, stress, and both emotional and physical illness.

Victims are almost never able to get relief. At present, our laws, social service agencies, and accountability systems do not protect victims. Remedies are lacking, no one has the tools or resources or even a plan that has been proven to work. We ask you, our representatives, to support S709, a legislative study commission, that will bring together stakeholders, experts, legislators, and constituents to craft a solution.