Rent Control Ballot Initiative 2026
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A ballot initiative for the 2026 ballot has been filed in support of statewide rent control. MassLandlords and other organizations filed testimony against it. We may have stopped it.
This is part of our legal memo opposing the 2026 ballot initiative.
Draconian Policy
The ballot initiative was paid for by the Homes for All Coalition, a group of unregistered or under-registered lobbyists including Chinese Progressive Association, Lynn United for Change, City Life/Vida Urbana and Springfield No One Leaves.
The proposal calls for a cap on increases of inflation or 5%, whichever is lower. Expecting high inflation, advocates seek to cram down owners and reduce rents in real dollar terms.
The law, if enacted, would reset rents to their status 10 months prior to the vote, regardless of whether any property had been renovated in the interim.
They’re using a “divide and conquer” strategy by attempting to exempt owner-occupy landlords. Of course we should all know from RentControlHistory.com that rent control lowers assessed values even in exempt properties, because rent controlled properties become dumps. We will all suffer.
There would be no vacancy decontrol. This means when a renter leaves, your rent cannot change. Rent can only change once per year according to the formula. There is no ability to renovate because financing becomes impossible; there is no return on investment.
Stopped Out of the Gate?
MassLandlords may have single-handedly defeated the measure. Ten signatures are required on the initial filing with the Attorney General. This is a constitutional requirement per the state constitution, articles of amendment LXXIV. The initial filing for getting rent control on the ballot had only six of the required signatures.
A lot of legal briefs submitted by others made careful and unlikely arguments. The signature argument has actual case law behind it. If we have to litigate, we will very likely win on the merits.
If we have stopped it, it would be a more crushing defeat than in 2023, when Representative Mike Connolly gathered only 11,000 signatures out of the required approximate 75,000. At that time, he blamed Homes for All for not supporting him. It looks like he did better without them.
“Typical rent control advocate,” said MassLandlords Executive Director Doug Quattrochi. “They say they have ten signatures for you but you’re only getting six.”
