Massachusetts passed a bill requiring lenders and servicers to make a good faith effort to avoid foreclosure due to a federal government shutdown with respect to a borrower who is a federal worker. Under the bill, a lender or servicer must not cause notice of a foreclosure sale to be published; exercise a power of sale; exercise a right of entry; or initiate a judicial or non-judicial foreclosure process; provided, however, that the borrower provide notice and documentation that the borrower is an impacted federal worker or the tenants of the borrower are impacted federal workers and as a result, the borrower is experiencing a significant financial impact. In addition, a borrower who is experiencing a significant financial impact due to a federal government shutdown, must be granted a forbearance by the lender or servicer for not more than 180 days, if requested and attested by the borrower. The granting of this forbearance is in effect during a federal government shutdown and until 30 days after such federal government shutdown has ended. The bill becomes effective February 23, 2026.

Click to view the Massachusetts House Bill 4761: https://www.tenaco.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/MA-HB-4761-11-28-25.pdf