Rent control

Published
August 23, 2023

Massachusetts rent control supporters say ballot question is valid as opposition mounts

The ballot question, filed by state Rep. Mike Connolly, a Cambridge Democrat, scraps a portion of state law banning rent control and replaces it with new language allowing municipalities to set the rules for residential evictions, brokers fees, the removal of housing units from the rental housing market, and rents.
Published
July 1, 2023

Maine Voices: Rent control laws do not build rental housing in Portland

Instead, consider more stringent regulation of Airbnbs, more investment in public housing and changing land use codes to allow more low- and moderate-income housing.
Published
June 29, 2023

Proposal to exempt smaller landlords from Portland rent control qualifies for ballot

The City Council can send the measure to voters, adopt it outright or add a competing measure to the ballot.
Published
June 22, 2023

Portland housing office staff to present rent control changes to City Council

A city spokesperson said Thursday that the proposal consists of 'housekeeping amendments,' but supporters of the current rent control ordinance said it could significantly weaken tenant protections.
Published
June 14, 2023

Portland voters could see another rent control referendum in November

A group says it has gathered signatures to put rent control on Portland’s ballot again, this time focused on smaller landlords, even as the City Council looks at making changes to the referendum process.

Published
June 8, 2023

Commentary: Portland’s Question A will keep existing tenants’ rents from going up

The cap of a 5% increase on a vacant unit means that landlords have no choice at the end of a lease term but to increase the rent on long-term tenants.
Published
June 6, 2023

Our View: Vote ‘no’ on Portland rent control Question A

The change to the rent control ordinance sought by a group of city landlords would exacerbate already-serious housing market dysfunction.
Published
June 5, 2023

Landlords, realtors ramp up spending ahead of rent control referendum

Backers of Question A, which would remove the 5% cap on rent increases when apartments turn over, have raised and spent far more than opponents headed into the June 13 election.
Published
June 2, 2023

Campaign signs spark debate, and some confusion, over rent control referendum

The creator of the signs said they're a satirical approach to opposing Question A, but some landlords and residents say they're misleading.
Published
May 24, 2023

Commentary: Portland rent ordinance is working – data don’t make case for Question A

Any future improvements to the ordinance, to make it easier for tenants and landlords, should occur through a transparent, City Council-initiated revision process.