A pandemic policy not poised for extension in Mass.

Also: Mass. special education planning gets a revamp; pandemic-era programs poised for an extension [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  March 24, 2023 🌤️ Partly sunny, with a high near 52. Good Morning Boston, Congratulations, we made it to Friday — and got [a beautiful sunrise to boot](. We have an [action-packed first weekend of spring]( ahead. But first, let's run through the news. - The clock is winding down. There's one week left until a Massachusetts eviction prevention policy expires next Friday — and housing advocates are urging state lawmakers to act. Kelly Turley, the associate director for the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, told WBUR's Dave Faneuf that the law, known as "Chapter 257," is a critical homelessness prevention tool. - What it does: The law requires eviction cases to be paused when a tenant has an application pending for rental assistance. According to Turley, it's a "win-win" for both tenants and landlords: "We're able to buy some extra time for that application to be processed so that tenants can stay in place and preserve their housing stability, and the property owners can get the money that they're owed." - The impact: At least 9,000 eviction cases have been paused under the law since it was implemented in January 2021, [according to a letter signed by more than 100 groups]( earlier this week. - Counterpoint: NBC Boston [reports]( that some landlords argue the law pauses eviction cases in which tenants have already maxed out what they can get from the state's rental assistance programs. - What housing advocates want: They're urging lawmakers to at least temporarily extend the law until the end of July 2024. That would give lawmakers the full legislative session to consider pending bills that would make the policy permanent. (Gov. Maura Healey's office declined to comment on the subject this week.) - Zoom out: The calls come against the backdrop of [the larger housing affordability crisis in Massachusetts](. According to data tracked by [Princeton University’s Eviction Lab]( the average number of weekly evictions in Boston is [up 75% since last March](. - Some pandemic-era policies that do seem poised for an extension: [boosted SNAP benefits]( alcohol takeout at restaurants and remote public meetings. All that and more was included in [a $388 million short-term spending bill]( that state lawmakers hashed out and sent to Healey's desk yesterday. She now has 10 days to decide whether to sign the bill. - Say what you will, but at least the MBTA new online speed restriction dashboard arrived on schedule. T officials unveiled the real-time dashboard yesterday, which shows the length, speed limit and other details for each of the more than 200 speed restrictions currently in place across the system. There's also [a map showing each location](. - All in all, the slow zones — which have lingered for years but [ballooned after a recent state inspection revealed a breakdown in track condition record-keeping]( — cover 27% of the T's subway system. That includes 77% of the Blue Line, 25% of the Orange Line, 25% of the Red Line and 18% of the Green Line. - What will it take to fix the slow zones? You probably guessed it: more shutdowns. Another round of weekend and nighttime closures is on the way this April. While the Red Line is in for the most extensive series of track work shutdowns next month, the partial closures will touch the three other lines, too. - You can [see the full April diversion schedule here](. - Reminder: All downtown Red Line service (from Harvard to JFK/UMass) will be [replaced by shuttle buses this weekend]( for a different reason: the installation of a new digital signal system. - Go deeper: State House News Service [has more on the T's current challenges]( — as well as tensions expressed at (and between) members of the T's Board of Directors during yesterday's meeting. - PSA: The environmental advocacy group Green Roots is telling people in Chelsea not to touch [paint chips that have flaked off the Tobin Bridge]( and fallen into local streets and yards. WBUR's Paula Moura reports the chips contain a high amount of lead, according to testing. - While the state stopped using lead paint for bridges in 1992, MassDOT acknowledged there's still some on the Tobin Bridge. They plan to inspect the area and develop a removal plan. P.S.— Do you know who will be Harvard's commencement speaker this May? Test your knowledge of the stories we covered this week with [our Boston News Quiz](. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [Special education planning form gets revamp in Mass. for first time in 20 yearsÂ]( Educators and special education advocates hope this will improve the special education planning process, leading to more high-quality individual education program documents for students. [Read more.]( [Special education planning form gets revamp in Mass. for first time in 20 yearsÂ]( Educators and special education advocates hope this will improve the special education planning process, leading to more high-quality individual education program documents for students. [Read more.]( [Freight train derails in Ayer: Fire department says no hazardous materials involved]( Some freight train cars derailed in central Massachusetts on Thursday but no hazardous materials were being hauled, a local fire department said. [Read more.]( [Freight train derails in Ayer: Fire department says no hazardous materials involved]( Some freight train cars derailed in central Massachusetts on Thursday but no hazardous materials were being hauled, a local fire department said. [Read more.]( [MBTA lays out how much it would cost to offer low-income fare]( The startup price — which would effectively mirror money Gov. Maura Healey proposed for the fare option in her budget bill — would cover the process of staffing up with workers to run the program, conducting equity analyses and crafting an online application. [Read more.]( [MBTA lays out how much it would cost to offer low-income fare]( The startup price — which would effectively mirror money Gov. Maura Healey proposed for the fare option in her budget bill — would cover the process of staffing up with workers to run the program, conducting equity analyses and crafting an online application. [Read more.]( [NPR cancels 4 podcasts amid major layoffs]( NPR moved this week to cut 10 percent of its staff and stop production of a trio of acclaimed seasonal podcasts, as it seeks to close a yawning budget gap that stands in excess of $30 million.. [Read more.]( [NPR cancels 4 podcasts amid major layoffs]( NPR moved this week to cut 10 percent of its staff and stop production of a trio of acclaimed seasonal podcasts, as it seeks to close a yawning budget gap that stands in excess of $30 million.. [Read more.]( [Report finds Blue Hills Reservation is out of reach for some nearby residents]( Great Blue Hill sits majestically in the distance beyond the aptly named Blue Hill Avenue. But for many residents of Dorchester and Mattapan, the 7,000-acre reservation below the 635-foot mountain is a place they know little about and rarely visit. [Read more.]( [Report finds Blue Hills Reservation is out of reach for some nearby residents]( Great Blue Hill sits majestically in the distance beyond the aptly named Blue Hill Avenue. But for many residents of Dorchester and Mattapan, the 7,000-acre reservation below the 635-foot mountain is a place they know little about and rarely visit. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - In our last spring arts guide of the week, theater critic Jacquinn Sinclair [recommends 13 theater productions around Boston this season]( that approach old stories with new language or insight. - “James {NAME} Abroad,” a program of three recently restored documentary shorts on the famous Black writer, opens tonight at the Coolidge Corner Theatre. Film critic Sean Burns [says each film shows sides of {NAME} that are eloquent, cantankerous and endearing](. - From the days of Charles Darwin, scientists have remarked upon the evolutionary benefits of giraffes' long necks. But after two mysterious deaths, [this week's episode of Endless Thread]( turned to the subreddit AskScience to learn about the possible drawbacks of being tall. - Heads up: HBO's hit show "Succession" returns this Sunday for its fourth and final season. NPR's Linda Holmes [writes that the acerbic and sharply written tragicomedy picks up right where it left out]( — but with an important shift in the story's central dynamic.  What We're Reading 📚 - Andrew’s Point in Rockport has long been open to the public. Now, an oceanfront homeowner is suing to end that. ([The Boston Globe]( - Most trans adults say transitioning made them more satisfied with their lives ([Washington Post]( - The Shameful Secret at the Heart of My War Reporting ([The New York Times](  Tell Me Something Good [The happiest country in the world wants to fly you in for a free masterclass]( Finland has held the title of world's happiest country for six years running. It wants to teach people how to unlock their "inner Finn" during a four-day masterclass at a lakeside resort in June. [Read more.]( [The happiest country in the world wants to fly you in for a free masterclass]( Finland has held the title of world's happiest country for six years running. It wants to teach people how to unlock their "inner Finn" during a four-day masterclass at a lakeside resort in June. [Read more.]( Listen: The Common recommends [five women-owned restaurants in Boston and Cambridge to try]( before the end of Women's History Month. Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: They get rid of the Dunkaccino, and instead[offer us this]( 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.]( Support the news   Want to change how you receive these emails? Stop getting this newsletter by [updating your preferences.](  I don't want to hear from WBUR anymore. Unsubscribe from all WBUR editorial newsletters [here](.  Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? [Click here.]( Copyright © 2022 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved.