UMass Law UMass Law: McDonald Quoted with a Hopeful Outlook on the MA Affordable Homes Act

Professor Geoff McDonald was interviewed on his thoughts of the recently signed Affordable Homes Act.

Governor Maura Healy recently signed the $5.1 billion Affordable Homes Act in to law, which has drawn cheer and apprehension from supporters and critics. The new bill aims to establish funding for Massachusetts housing, ranging from new construction to modernization. There is also a provision to direct a portion of the bill’s funds to first-time home buyers and lower-income housing needs. The goal of the Affordable Homes Act is to make Massachusetts a more affordable place to live, though there has been critique that it is not enough. Some critics have cited that the bill is leaving out bigger issues of over-inflated rent prices and evictions.

Yet, the bill has drawn hope from UMass Law Professor Geoff McDonald, who was quoted in a MassLive article saying, “It would be much better for the tenant and state if the [eviction] records were sealed automatically,” he said. “But this is a good step forward in the fight against homelessness.” A provision of the new bill will allow some renters to have their previous eviction records sealed, helping break down a barrier for tenants to re-enter the housing market easier and faster. Though record sealing can be very beneficial to help protect the tenant looking to seal past no-fault evictions, the caveat is that they have to navigate the process of petitioning through the court themselves to get their record sealed. The process of record sealing has now been adopted by several states and is a part of a national initiative to help address homelessness in America.

Before coming to UMass Law, Professor McDonald practiced law in New York City for fifteen years, including both private practice and public interest work. He represented creditors, debtors, trustees and other significant parties in interest in some of the largest, most prominent and complex Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases in this country. In the five years immediately prior to joining the UMass Law faculty, he worked as a public interest attorney in the South Bronx, where his practice was focused on preventing homelessness by providing free legal services to people facing eviction or foreclosure.

In his research, McDonald focuses on technical bankruptcy questions as well as the moral basis of bankruptcy, including the interrelated issues of debt, justice, and forgiveness, with particular emphasis on the constitutional and jurisprudential dimensions. His current research is focused on the moral imperative to end homelessness through legal advocacy and policy reform. 

Professor McDonald received his B.A. in Philosophy from Wesleyan University, his M.A.R. in Philosophy of Religion from Yale University, where he also studied jurisprudence and legal philosophy at Yale Law School, his Ph.D. in Religion (Ethics & Society) and J.D. from Emory University, and his LL.M. in Bankruptcy from St. John’s University School of Law. Professor McDonald teaches in the areas of contracts, commercial law and bankruptcy as well as jurisprudence and ethical theory.