Massachusetts rent control ballot proposal clears first hurdle
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A ballot measure proposing rent control in Massachusetts cleared its first hurdle to get on the 2026 ballot.
Why it matters: The state's housing crisis continues to worsen despite efforts to change local zoning laws and spur housing creation.
- Housing advocates for years have pushed for limits to rent hikes as a solution, after rent control was eliminated in a 1994 statewide ballot initiative.
Driving the news: Attorney General Andrea Campbell certified the ballot initiative to revive rent control, along with 43 other ballot initiative submitted to her office this summer.
- Campbell said the certification of 44 ballot initiatives was a new record.
Flashback: The last time housing advocates proposed a rent control ballot measure in 2023, supporters failed to collect enough signatures to get the question on the ballot.
How it works: The proposal would limit annual rent increases by 5% or by the Consumer Price Index's annual inflation increase, whichever is lower.
- The limits wouldn't apply to owner-occupied housing with four or fewer units, public housing, short-term rentals or certain education and nonprofit housing.
- If passed, the measure would base increases on the rent in place as of Jan. 31, 2026.
What they're saying: "When rent can go up by hundreds of dollars overnight, seniors are forced to put off their retirement, and young people and families can't save money for the dream of owning a home," says Betty Lewis, a renter in Mattapan supporting the ballot measure.
The other side: Greg Vasil, CEO of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board, called the proposal a "flawed, harmful policy" that would slow housing production and increase housing costs.
- "The real estate industry will fight the proposed initiative every step of the way," he said in a statement.