New Rent Control Ballot Initiative Draws Opposition from SPOA and Industry Leaders

In 2023, Rep. Mike Connolly attempted to launch a statewide rent control ballot measure but failed to secure enough signatures to advance it to the 2024 election. Now, the tenant advocacy coalition Homes for All Massachusetts has filed a new rent control initiative for the 2026 ballot, reviving the debate over statewide rent caps.

Following this development, The Boston Globe reached out to the Small Property Owners Association (SPOA) for comment. In the article, SPOA Vice President Amir Shahsavari emphasized that rent control, while framed as an emergency measure, ultimately “stunts the growth of new housing supply.” He also noted that the proposed policy would unfairly penalize small landlords already facing high costs from taxes, inflation, and new regulations.

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‘A disaster for Massachusetts’: Real estate groups vow to fight rent control ballot measure