Letter: Here’s a Way to Support Rent Control in Massachusetts

As many of you know, Amherst continues to struggle with a lack of affordable housing in town. According to our recent Amherst Housing Production Plan, 58.5% of renters in Amherst are considered “cost-burdened,” paying more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities—with 39.2% severely cost-burdened, paying over 50%.

Our community has long sought solutions to this problem, and has identified rent control as one element of a multi-pronged solution to the problem of creating more affordable housing in town. There is currently a campaign being run by Homes for All Massachusetts– a statewide formation of grassroots housing justice groups working to halt displacement, increase community control of land, and win housing justice– to get rent control on the MA ballot this fall  through the ballot initiative process. 

Homes for All began its ballot initiative campaign due to a lack of action on the pending legislation S. 1447 and H.2328, “An Act Enabling Cities and Towns to Stabilize Rents and Protect Tenants,” which would reverse the 1994 ballot initiative that made rent control illegal in Massachusetts. Notably, Amherst voted against eliminating rent control by a large majority in 1994.

Please sign on to this Town Council resolution as a community sponsor so that we can communicate loud and clear to the MA legislature – we need action on this bill so that towns and cities can legally implement rent control measures through their local democratically elected representatives and bodies. It’s an important tool in the toolbox for communities to promote affordable housing, and we deserve to have access to it again in Amherst.

Please see the attached factsheet to learn more about the bill.

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Proposed Amherst Town Council Resolution

Town of Amherst Resolution in support of S. 1447, and H.2328,  “An Act Enabling Cities and Towns to Stabilize Rents and Protect Tenants”

“An Act Enabling Cities and Towns to Stabilize Rents and Protect Tenants” 

 Council Sponsors: Councilors Brevik, Cano-Martin, and Walker 

WHEREAS, the rapidly escalating cost of housing in Amherst has created profound instability for renters—placing many seniors, workers, students, and families at risk of displacement and housing insecurity; and 

WHEREAS, nearly a third of non-student residents surveyed during the Amherst Housing Production Plan development, including 25% of families, anticipate leaving Amherst within five years, with most citing housing costs as the main reason; and  

WHEREAS, despite creating an inclusionary zoning bylaw, which has resulted in an increase in affordable housing units, housing in Amherst remains unattainable for many; and 

WHEREAS, Amherst has 11.86% of its housing stock listed on the Subsidized Housing Inventory, though less than 7% is truly affordable with income restrictions; and 

WHEREAS, Amherst’s rental prices are high, ranging from 50 to 100 percent above the regional Fair Market Rent with a one bedroom in Amherst averaging $1,752 a month versus $1,115 a month in the region; and 

WHEREAS, as reported in the Amherst Housing Production Plan, in 2023, 28% of Amherst households earned less than $30,000 a year, and 40.8% of low-income households had incomes under 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level; and  

 WHEREAS, residents across Amherst consistently cite housing affordability as a top concern, and according to the Amherst Housing Production Plan, 58.5% of renters in Amherst are considered “cost-burdened,” paying more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities—with 39.2% severely cost burdened, paying over 50%; and 

 WHEREAS, due to the competitive rental market, investors buy residential properties in Amherst in the hopes of profiting from the high demand, often pricing out potential homebuyers; and 

WHEREAS, during the Amherst Community Voices on Affordable Housing listening session, community members stated that a multiprong strategy must be employed to build and maintain housing affordability, with rent control being one tool alongside strategic development; and 

 WHEREAS, while rent control was banned through a 1994 statewide ballot question, Amherst voters supported the continuation of rent control by a significant margin; and  

 WHEREAS, rent control was a popular theme for further exploration to help address housing instability and displacement at the Amherst Community Voices on Affordable Housing listening session in June, 2023; and 

 WHEREAS, Mayor Michelle Wu and the Boston City Council voted on a home rule petition in 2022 to stabilize rents in Boston that was filed with the Massachusetts legislature and then sent to committee to study; and 

 WHEREAS, because the current Massachusetts statute prohibits rent control, Amherst cannot address this problem without legislative action on the state level. 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Amherst Town Council supports Bill H.2328 and S.1447, “An Act enabling cities and towns to stabilize rents and protect tenants,” calling for the repeal of statewide rent control preemptions, allowing cities and towns to institute rent stabilization measures and implement tenant protections with exemptions for owner-occupied buildings of four or fewer units and for newly constructed buildings. 

 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,that the Clerk of the Council shall cause this resolution to be sent to Governor Maura Healey, Attorney General Andrea Campbell, State Senator Jo Comerford, State Representative Mindy Domb, and Mayor of Boston Michelle Wu.