Federal judge strikes down US eviction ban. What will that mean in Mass.? Itâs unclear whether state rental assistance efforts will be enough to keep people in their homes. By Tim Logan Globe Staff,Updated May 5, 2021, 6:22 p.m. Email to a Friend Last July, protestors at the State House urged the Legislature to take action to prevent evictions during the pandemic.Matthew J. Lee/Globe staff A federal judge on Wednesday struck down an emergency ban on most evictions in the United States, signaling that the end may be drawing near for protections that have kept many renters in their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic.