Ayanna Pressley called out for calling eviction an ‘act of violence’

Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Massachusetts, is under fire for her take on evictions and the hypocrisy of her own real estate portfolio.

In a video posted to social media on Thursday, the lawmaker called housing a “human right” and compared being evicted to “violence.” This comes after she introduced legislation on Wednesday “that would prevent evictions from being factored into credit reporting and fund legal assistance for those at risk of eviction,” Fox News reported.

Watch:

Rep. Ayanna Pressley pushes a bill requiring taxpayers to fund legal aid for tenants facing eviction, including cases tied to unpaid rent

She argues:

“Eviction is an act of violence… Housing is a human right.”pic.twitter.com/V7fUxYTz6v

— Brandon Straka #WalkAway (@BrandonStraka) April 4, 2026

“Eviction is an act of violence and we have to do everything to prevent it. It is devastating for the families, it degrades the health of communities, there is great stigma associated with it, it affects your credit score,” she said. “Housing is a human right. It is a predictor of health outcomes. It’s essential for social and economic mobility, and so many people, when they receive a notice to quit or to vacate their homes, usually because of nonpayment, because wages are not keeping pace with inflation, they don’t know their rights. And a lot of times they will just accept that notice to quit and leave. And so my legislation is making sure they have access to legal counsel because we have found that when tenants know their rights, when they have access to legal counsel, we can usually keep them safely housed.”

But Pressley’s own portfolio muddies the waters somewhat.

From Fox News:

Pressley, a four-term lawmaker, has previously faced charges of hypocrisy for pushing rent-relief policies while appearing to profit from her husband’s status as a landlord.

According to Pressley’s 2024 financial disclosure, Pressley and her husband reported up to $8 million in combined assets derived from four Massachusetts rental properties.

Pressley’s spouse earned up to $350,000 in rental income and a property sale, according to the congresswoman’s 2024 financial disclosure form.

The rentals include a house on Martha’s Vineyard worth more than $1 million. The couple sold a one-bedroom condo in Fort Lauderdale in 2024 valued at under $500,000.

X users had plenty to say:

Don’t fall for the scam and the picture she’s trying to paint.

Victims of a poor, Trump-induced, bad economy need to be rescued by a democrat savior offering a bill that will spend a lot of money that will probably end up in the hands of professional scam artists.

— Ultra Trumpian (@billbarnett65) April 4, 2026

Hey everyone, go live with Rep. Ayanna Pressley, she says everyone is allowed!

— hatecommunism (@Debi19587135) April 4, 2026

You cannot fix idiots. I have no idea how anyone can arrive at “this.” How literally stupid do you have to be?

— Rob Albright (@rta3569) April 4, 2026

Incorrect. Theft of services and trespassing are crimes. Eviction is rectifying that

— Chuck Dodgson 🐊🌴 ❤️🇺🇸 (@Chuck_L_Dodgson) April 5, 2026

Remaining in or on another person’s property without compensation and/or permission is theft and a criminal act. Everybody knows this. Why do Democrats deny it?

— Daniel Knauf 👹🌎 (@daniel_knauf) April 5, 2026

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