As paid advocates begin to gather next round of signatures, MassLandlords, SPOA call for truth and honesty in ballot question effort
BOSTON, MA – May 4, 2026 – Ballot question proponents will begin gathering the next round of signatures this week to put rent mandates on the ballot in November, and small property owners across Massachusetts want them to be honest with voters this time.
“Last fall, these advocates intentionally misled voters both about this question and even their signature gathering effort,” said Amir Shahsavari, President of the Small Property Owners Association (SPOA). “They claim that this rent control initiative exempts small property owners, when it actually conflates the vast majority of small property owners with large corporations. Also, their own admission that most landlords don’t impose steep rent increases undercuts the need for rent control altogether, while the cost of rent is already decreasing on its own.”
A State House News report from February found that advocates were paid for signature gathering by their organizations, and received contributions from national organizations in New York and California for independent contractors, travel, and housing for signature gatherers, despite claims of a volunteer effort.
“Last time, signature gatherers told the public that they were going to ‘stop corporate landlords from raising the rent like 50%,’” said Doug Quattrochi, Executive Director of MassLandlords. “In fact it will stop mom and pop landlords from keeping pace with inflation, making repairs, and creating naturally occurring affordable housing.”
SPOA, MassLandlords, and small property owners across the state are asking signature gatherers to sign the following honesty pledge before they begin their effort on Wednesday:
Rent Mandate Signature Gatherers’ Pledge
“I pledge to be honest with voters and tell them:
- That I am not a volunteer signature gatherer. I am paid by my organization to collect signatures for this ballot question. It is part of my job;
- This question does NOT allow communities to adopt controls: IT DOES INSTALL one-size-fits-all MANDATES in all 351 communities in Massachusetts;
- Though it doesn’t say so in the summary you are signing, this proposed ballot question would repeal a law passed by VOTERS that banned rent control statewide;
- This ballot question will not help mom and pop landlords, who account for more than 60% of rental housing in Massachusetts.
- In fact, a person or family who rents out even just one or two units in a house or condo that they don’t live in will be subject to this law–treated the same way as if they were a Wall Street hedge fund with 10,000 apartments.
- Even though supporters claim this ballot question is “revenue neutral,” a Tufts study in March found that this question would cost cities and towns $300 billion in property value over the next ten years, leading to significant real estate tax hikes or cuts to education and public safety;
- Governor Healey and more than a dozen Mayors of Gateway Cities oppose this ballot question because it will reduce new housing creation and rehabilitation and significantly damage the future of both Massachusetts and local communities;
- Most importantly, this ballot question will not actually lower your rent. In fact, it will almost ensure that your landlord raises the rent up to the cap every single year; and
- This would actually make it harder to afford an apartment, because, as the leader of the rent control campaign effort admitted last month in a news article, right now “Most landlords are not raising the rent huge amounts, year over year.”
- I hereby pledge to repeat these facts to voters before I ask for their signature.
“Small property owners make up the backbone of Massachusetts communities. We are teachers, tradesmen, retirees, immigrants, and families who invest our life savings to purchase properties and create reliable income streams,” said Tony Lopes, Vice President of SPOA. “If the ballot question proponents insist on pushing forward this proposal that will put us out of business, the very least they can do is be honest about what it actually says and what it will actually do to small property owners, renters, homeowners, and communities.”
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Housing for Massachusetts is a coalition of Massachusetts citizens, small property owners, family-owned real estate companies, affordable housing developers, and housing advocates. We aim to educate and advocate for policies that support housing creation in Massachusetts, improving availability and affordability for all. Learn more at HousingforMass.com