SPOA Releases Episode 15 of Housing Policy Series with "Josh Kraft Mayoral Forum"
by Amir Shahsavari
The Small Property Owners Association (SPOA) has released Episode 15 of SPOA Housing Policy Series, which is called "Josh Kraft Mayoral Forum."
We speak with Josh Kraft, who is running for Mayor of Boston. Mr. Kraft has spent many years in the nonprofit sector, leading organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club of Boston and the charitable arm of the New England Patriots, which his family owns.
The conversation centers on Mr. Kraft's alternate version of rent control, which he presents as helping both tenants and property owners. We also discuss inequities with how properties are taxed in Boston, in addition to the need for more housing supply, as well as increased competition, to reduce prices and alleviate a struggling economic environment. We further address the high cost of energy, controversies with bike lanes and crime in the city, the renewed effort to hike taxes on the struggling business sector, and SPOA's plan to help tenants achieve homeownership while rewarding rental property owners for their contributions.
Mr. Kraft answers questions from SPOA members and our panel, which includes media personality Mike Urban, who hosts The Mike Urban Show, and news reporter Scott Van Voorhis, who edits the independent newspaper Contrarian Boston. We are also joined by Chris Lehman (CIO, SPOA) and Demetrios Salpoglou (CEO, Boston Pads).
SPOA Vice President, Amir Shahsavari, moderates the discussion.
As an organization, the Small Property Owners Association (SPOA) does not endorse political candidates. Therefore, this conversation is not an endorsement of Mr. Kraft's candidacy by SPOA. However, SPOA extends an open invitation to all candidates to share their views about housing with us, whether they are running for mayor or another office. We bring this information to you for educational purposes, but it is up to you, the voters, to decide the merits of the candidates' positions.
by Amir Shahsavari
Professional Tenants Defraud Taxpayers, As Well As Property Owners, While Reporter Wins Award for Exposing These Scams
by Allen Hebert and Amir Shahsavari
As reported in our previous newsletters, investigative reporter Ryan Kath of NBC 10 News Boston exposed a prolific pair of professional tenants, Linda and Russell Callahan, for cheating rental housing providers for over 20 years by deliberately withholding rent payments without facing serious consequences. After Ryan's reporting, the Callahans are now facing criminal charges in court for fraud, forgery, and larceny. But believe it or not -- even in the middle of their ongoing court hearings -- they somehow managed to victimize yet another property owner by squatting in his Worcester property, as they have done with their other victims in different parts of the state for decades!
If you think this is as damning as it gets for Massachusetts, you can think again.
Per Ryan's additional reporting, it should come as no surprise that the Callahans are not the only professional tenants who have been working the system in Massachusetts for decades. Even more outrageous is that taxpayers are providing rental assistance for these crooks, including Bryan Coombes, and his wife Nicole Inserra, who have victimized property owner, Leo Behaj, of Reading. You can read more on this latest story and see the video in the link below.
On the brighter side, these stories led to Ryan and his producer, Shira Stoll, receiving the regional Edward R. Murrow Award for investigative reporting.
Congrats to Ryan and his team for their well-earned award in exposing these dangers and the troubling flaws within our system, while forcing at least some of these criminals to justice. We are even more proud to have had Ryan and Shira on Episode 10 of SPOA Housing Policy Series last year when they discussed their reporting before our audience. You will also find the link to that discussion below.
by Allen Hebert and Amir Shahsavari
SPOA's Mayoral Forum with Josh Kraft Receives Media Coverage
by Allen Hebert
"Josh Kraft Mayoral Forum," the 15th episode of SPOA Housing Policy Series, included media personality Mike Urban and news reporter Scott Van Voorhis on the panel, as they asked candidate Kraft questions about his campaign for Boston Mayor.
The issues included rent control, housing supply, property taxes, energy costs, public safety, and SPOA’s vision for homeownership. Moderated by SPOA Vice President, Amir Shahsavari, the video is available to view within the first article of this newsletter.
In addition, the commentaries of Urban and Van Voorhis are included below in their respective publications.
Word games: Josh Kraft pitches his “rent control” plan to local landlords on SPOA’s podcast
Well, one thing is clear after Josh Kraft’s appearance on the Small Property Owners Association’s podcast.
The Boston mayoral candidate has no plans to change the name of his proposal to get local landlords to limit rent increases in exchange for tax breaks, which he insists on calling rent control.
We’d have to agree with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who recently stated that Kraft’s plan is a form of fake rent control.
But unlike Wu, we believe that’s a good thing, given that creating a rent control bureaucracy to cap and police rents would be a disaster, driving developers with plans for new apartments out of the city.
Kraft did not bite when we semi-seriously suggested he change the name of his proposal to something like “rent support.”
More seriously, “rent control” are fighting words in the real estate industry, which, along with other members of the business community, see Kraft as a much more pragmatic, moderate alternative to the uber-progressive Wu.
However, that was just one small part of a wide-ranging discussion in which Kraft touched upon the need to boost construction of new housing, bike lanes, crime, and disparities in how properties are taxed, among other issues.
Kraft also took questions from Mike Urban, a local real estate broker with a popular podcast and YouTube channel, Chris Lehman, co-founder of fintech Groma, and Demetrios Salpoglou (CEO, Boston Pads).
SPOA Vice President, Amir Shahsavari served as moderator.
by Allen Hebert
2025 North End Apartment Rental Market Report
by Demetrios Salpoglou
Since the pandemic, the availability of rental housing has declined steadily in each of the last four years in the North End, leading to increased rental prices in one of Boston's most sought after neighborhoods. Clearly, supply is struggling to keep up with rising demand. This is why zoning code relief is essential to create more housing supply. This will eliminate the barriers that prevent rental housing providers from creating the much needed housing that would increase affordability for both renters and owners alike. You can read more in the link below.
by Demetrios Salpoglou