SPRINGFIELD – On Sept. 22, designated as “Renters Day of Action,” Arise for Social Justice and Springfield No One Leaves, rallied at Court Square to address ongoing problems confronting both renters and homeowners in the city.

The two groups have called on the Sarno Administration to create a housing task force, but so far have not seen any action on the request.

In a letter to Mayor Domenic Sarno dated Aug. 9, Arise wrote that foreclosure auctions are up 80 percent over last year and the petitions for foreclosure have risen more than 120 percent in the last year and half.

The letter continued, “We know that 89 percent of Springfield residents, whether renter or homeowner, pay more than 30 percent of their income for housing. We know that 50.2 percent of Springfield renters and 32.5 percent of homeowners pay more than 35 percent of income on housing costs, much higher than state or national rates. We know that 50 percent of all households in Springfield are considered ‘extremely-low or very low-income’ by U.S. HUD [Department of Housing and Urban Development] definitions and that 42 percent of all Springfield households have incomes less than $25,000 a year.”

The letter asked the city to create a Housing Task Force; to commission a study of the city’s housing stock; support the passage of Just Cause for Eviction ordinance, which requires a reason to be expressed for the eviction; expand the boarding house regulations from three to four maximum residents and promote new boarding houses; and donate 25 percent of the city’s properties in at-risk neighborhoods to the Springfield Community Land Trust and other community groups for greater development of housing.

At the rally Michaelann Bewsee of Arise noted it took until Sept. 16 to receive a response from the city. A letter from Geraldine McCafferty, the director of the Office of Housing, listed accomplishments the city has made in dealing with homelessness, the state of the housing stock and neighborhoods that are safe and stable, but did not address any of the specific issues the Arise letter brought up.

Bewsee said, “There is nothing in the letter that responded to our letter. Every day, I’ve called and emailed her – not one answer back from her.”

She explained Arise is dealing with homeless families – “dozens a month” – who come to the organization’s office seeking help to find shelter.

Bewsee asserted the problem of homelessness, which was at the center of focused efforts by state and local officials several years ago, hasn’t gone away.

“It’s gotten worse,” she said.