SPOA Launches Fundraising Campaign Against the Return of Rent Control
The Small Property Owners Association (SPOA) has initiated a fundraising campaign against the return of rent control, while seeking reasonable housing policies that benefit owners and tenants alike without compromising property rights, or the production and maintenance of housing. This is in response to a last-minute ballot initiative submitted by rent control proponents on August 2, 2023 to reinstate rent control in Massachusetts after it was repealed at the ballot box in November 1994. You will find more details about the ballot initiative and our response in SPOA's recent fundraising letter, which is attached below. Please read the letter and join SPOA's effort to protect Massachusetts against dangerous housing policies.
Dear Property Owners:
Those of us seeking reasonable housing policies, while protecting our property rights, have good reason to be concerned. Regrettably, State Rep. Mike Connolly of Cambridge put forth a ballot initiative for the 2024 election to reinstate rent control in Massachusetts.
In the proponents’ own words, this ballot initiative looks to “regulate residential rents and associated fees and deposits, including brokers fees” and “regulate residential evictions,” as well as “regulate removal of housing units from the rental market, such as by demolition or condominium conversion.” Further, the initiative looks to “provide for or designate an officer, administrator, board or committee to administer and enforce the ordinance or bylaw.”
This is a far-reaching government takeover of the rental housing industry. Like Dr. Frankenstein, the proponents of this question have attached every bad housing policy to this proposal, thus creating a monster that will kill housing production.
Rent control is a failed policy that was banned at the ballot box in 1994. It stunted the construction of new housing, made it more difficult for property owners to collect their hard-earned rental income, and led to the disrepair of existing housing stock. It also made it more difficult for owners to remove noncompliant tenants from their properties for nonpayment, vandalism, and other contract breaches. This harmed not only the owners and their properties, but all the cooperative tenants who depended on their housing providers for safe, maintained living places.
Beyond Massachusetts, rent control has failed wherever it has been implemented — distorting housing markets, discouraging property investments, reducing the availability of rental units, and ultimately failing to address the root causes of housing affordability. Shortly after it was implemented in St. Paul, Minnesota, as just one example, the migration of people and businesses to neighboring Minneapolis saw lower rents and more housing options in free-market Minneapolis, contrasting the rising rents and reduced housing availability in rent-controlled St. Paul — in what has truly been a tale of two cities. Only within a matter of months, the Mayor of St. Paul sought to walk back rent control after witnessing its damaging effects on the city.
As concerned small property owners, we cannot afford to sit idly by while our investments and the communities we serve are put at risk. As tenants struggle with rising rental prices, we should remind people that prices have gone up for everyone, including property owners who shoulder the rising costs of operating and maintaining property. For every one dollar paid in rent, only nine cents goes to the property owner, while the rest goes to expenses. This is due to a confluence of different factors for which property owners are not to blame.
Despite this truth, however, Rep. Connolly’s lawyer, Gerald McDonough, has said that the real estate industry has “extracted untold profits from our communities and reared the gains of inflation.” He added that real estate interests “have realized the most benefit from the housing emergency and the ongoing inflation in residential rents.”
Although rent control supporters claim that any criticism of rent control amounts to “fear mongering,” rent control itself is a political scam based on the fear and hate mongering directed at property owners, blaming us for a problem politicians don’t know how to solve. Tenant activists reject the facts about rent control due to their predatory thirst for control of the housing industry, based on the politics of resentment, rather than a genuine desire to solve the housing dilemma for everyone.
Therefore, we must unite and take a stand against rent control, advocating for better solutions that promote sustainable growth and affordable housing without stifling our rights as property owners. We play a vital role in sustaining our communities and the growth of other industries that depend upon us — from the tradespeople and materials suppliers to the banking, brokerage, and insurance industries, among others.
The real answer is that our local, state, and federal government must step up to build low-income housing, legislate incentives for private entities to build affordable housing, and grow rental aid for those in need.
Our mission at the Small Property Owners Association has always been to advocate for fair and equitable housing policies that support both property owners and tenants. We firmly believe that the best way to foster thriving communities is through collaboration and balanced regulations that encourage investment and growth.
To effectively combat rent control, we are launching a fundraising campaign to bolster our efforts in raising awareness about the negative impacts of rent control and lobbying for alternative housing policies that work for both property owners and tenants.
Your support is invaluable to our cause. By contributing to our fundraising efforts, you will help us engage in critical activities such as:
1. Public Awareness Campaigns: We will spread the message about the adverse effects of rent control through media campaigns, community events, and educational materials, informing the public and policymakers about the importance of preserving a fair and balanced housing market.
2. Advocacy and Lobbying: We will work tirelessly to represent our interests at the legislative level, engaging with policymakers to promote alternative housing policies that genuinely address housing affordability issues, while safeguarding our rights as property owners.
3. Legal Resources: In case rent control legislation is proposed, we will ensure that we have the necessary legal resources to challenge it in court if it violates our constitutional rights as property owners.
Together, we can make a real difference to save Boston and protect our investments, our communities, and the future of housing in Massachusetts. Please consider contributing generously to our fundraising campaign. Every dollar counts and brings us closer to our goal of a fair and sustainable housing market.
To contribute, you can visit our website or send your donations to 840 Summer Street Boston, MA 02127.
Please consider donating $100 per month, $500 per month, $1,000 per month, or whatever you can afford.
Additionally, we are open to discussing sponsorship opportunities for those willing to make a substantial impact on our advocacy efforts.
Thank you for your time and consideration. Your support is vital in safeguarding our collective interests. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about our campaign, please do not hesitate to contact us at askspoa@gmail.com, or call 617-354-5533.
Let's stand together, united against rent control, and pave the way for a brighter future for property owners and tenants alike.
Sincerely,
Small Property Owners Association (SPOA)
P.S. Please donate $100 per month, $500 per month, $1,000 per month, or whatever you can afford.
We must also assemble a group of volunteers to help with our campaign. Please contact us via phone (617-354-5533) or email (askspoa@gmail.com) to help.
Our businesses and livelihoods are at stake, along with the health and prosperity of our communities. We can’t afford to sit this battle out. Please join us today!
