Jim Brooks Stabilization Act 190th General Court H.4142 Sent to Study

Boston, MA (May 2, 2018) -- The following statement was emailed to subscribers late on May 2.

The Jim Brooks Act, H.4142, aka Just Cause Eviction Rent Control, has been sent to study (killed this session). This is a victory for owners, for managers, and for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Home rule petitions like Jim Brooks are rarely voted down. That Jim Brooks was voted down speaks to its partisan origins, its false assertion that owners helped draft it, and its ill-conceived answer to the high cost of housing. The decision to send this bill to study speaks volumes about your public testimony, your support of MassLandlords, and the coordination of most remaining real estate groups in Massachusetts. We are especially indebted to Skip Schloming, who was able to coordinate grassroots opposition as a private citizen.

We must not be gleeful. Supporters of Jim Brooks now feel betrayed and will push even harder next time around to address the legitimate displacement problem. It falls to us to come up with real solutions to NIMBY zoning, to increase housing supply, and to ensure that rents remain affordable for the elderly and for low income households. We have a lot of work yet to do.

But we may breathe a bit easier knowing that our voice is being heard.

Sincere appreciation for your support,
Doug Quattrochi
Executive Director
MassLandlords, Inc.