Last week, we were thrilled to stand with Western Mass leaders who know we must tackle the housing crisis — but also know this rent control ballot question is not the answer.
Holyoke Mayor Josh Garcia put it in clear local terms: one-size-fits-all rent control could decrease property values and ultimately reduce tax revenue for cities like his. That doesn’t just hurt landlords; it squeezes school budgets, basic services, and the very communities we’re trying to stabilize.
Springfield City Councilor Mike Fenton raised another concern: quality. There is nothing in this proposal that incentivizes property owners to reinvest in maintenance and repairs. If we lock in lower revenues while costs climb, the first thing to be sacrificed will be upkeep — and tenants will feel that in the form of aging, deteriorating housing.
We can all agree we need solutions to the housing crisis. But a policy that shrinks the tax base and disincentivizes reinvestment is a step backward, not forward.
Business leaders and local officials across Massachusetts are starting to raise these alarms.
