Massachusetts Voters Back Rent Control, Healey Says No

Top Massachusetts politicians oppose rent control, but they are at odds with the majority of voters who seem to favor it.

Housing Costs Dominate Massachusetts Voter Concerns

A University of New Hampshire Survey Center "Bay State Poll" finds deep concern in Massachusetts about housing costs.

"More than half of Massachusetts residents say the cost of living or housing is the most important problem facing the commonwealth," according to the poll's authors.

Majority Support Rent Control Ballot Question

It should come as little surprise then that 56 percent of respondents to the UNH survey either somewhat or strongly support a proposed November ballot question that would cap annual rent increases for most Massachusetts rental units to no more than five percent.

The poll found that 26 percent were strongly or somewhat opposed to rent control, while 17 percent were undecided.

Governor Healey’s Case Against Rent Caps

Springfield-based WWLP-TV reports that Governor Maura Healey made clear her opposition to the rent control measure during a December interview with Boston Public Radio: "I'm a no, because if you look at the studies – if you look at the studies, you effectively halt production," Healey said.

"I will tell you that investors in housing have already pulled out of Massachusetts because they're concerned about rent control," Healey said. For the record, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is a proponent of rent control.

Massachusetts voters defeated a rent control ballot question more than 30 years ago, but that was then, and this is now.

Experts Warn of Economic Consequences

WGBH discussed the rent control issue with Alexander von Hoffman, a lecturer in urban planning at Harvard Graduate School of Design, who opposes the idea.

"I think I will go with the governor on this [and vote "no"]," von Hoffman said. "As soon as you get into it, you begin to see some of the complexities when you intervene in a complicated economic system."