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Rent Stabilization

Through a Home Rule Petition, Mayor Michelle Wu and the Boston City Council have made a request to the Massachusetts Legislature to enable the City of Boston to Implement Rent Stabilization and Just Cause Tenant Protections in Boston. 

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In March 2022, Mayor Michelle Wu formed a Rent Stabilization Advisory Committee to study local housing conditions and the structure and outcomes of rent stabilization programs in other cities, and to provide recommendations on a policy that would stabilize rents by capping annual rent increases. The Committee is made up of housing advocates, developers, tenants, and other stakeholders.

There were five public listening sessions and  six meetings of the advisory committee before Mayor Wu submitted a proposed Home Rule Petition to the City Council on February 13, 2023. On March 8, 2023, the Boston City Council approved the Home Rule Petition, which has now been submitted to the Massachusetts Legislature.

Home Rule Petition:

Public Listening Sessions: Recordings and Meeting Materials

Public Listening Sessions

Rent Stabilization Advisory Committee Members

Committee Members
  • Emma Anderson, Boston Teachers Union member
  • Kathy Brown, Coordinator at Boston Tenant Coalition 
  • Joe Byrne, Executive Secretary-Treasurer for the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters
  • Karen Chen, Executive Director at Chinese Progressive Association
  • Filaine Deronnette, Vice President of Health Systems for 1199 SEIU
  • Emilio Dorcely, CEO of Urban Edge
  • Dermot Doyne, Local landlord and business owner 
  • Chris Herbert, Managing Director of the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies 
  • Beyazmin Jimenez, Abundant Housing Massachusetts Board President 
  • Michael Kane, Executive Director at HUD Tenant Alliance
  • Brian Kavoogian, Managing Director of National Development
  • Curtis Kemeny, CEO and President of Boston Residential Group
  • Kirk Sykes, Managing Partner at Accordia Partners
  • Joe Kriesberg, President of Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations
  • Denise Matthews-Turner, Co-Executive Director at City Life Vida Urbana
  • Lisa Owens, Executive Director at Hyams Foundation
  • Jeanne Pinado, Vice President of Capital Markets at Colliers International
  • Mimi Ramos, Executive Director at New England United for Justice
  • Megan Sandel, Associate Professor of Pediatric Medicine at Boston University
  • Chanda Smart, CEO at Onyx
  • Lauren Song, Senior Attorney at Greater Boston Legal Services
  • Justin Steil, Associate Professor of Law and Urban Planning, MIT
  • Carolyn Villers, Executive Director at Mass Senior Action
  • Josh Zakim, Founder and Executive Director at Housing Forward MA
  • Kimberly Sherman, President of Related Beal

Rent Stabilization Advisory Committee Schedule and Meeting Materials

Committee Meeting Materials
Meeting Objectives:
  • Introductions
  • Review purpose and objectives of the Advisory Committee
  • Receive presentations on Boston's rental housing  conditions
  • Share reading list
Meeting Materials
Meeting Objectives:
  • Receive presentation on the Minneapolis Rent Stabilization study
  • Discuss models and components of rent
Meeting Materials
Meeting Objectives:
  • Receive update on the May 24, 2022, public listing session and plan for future community engagement events
  • Receive proposed structures for future advisory committee meetings
  • Discuss first three components of Rent Stabilization policies: Rent cap amount; Exceptions to the cap; and Vacancy decontrol 
Meeting Materials
Meeting Objectives
  • Receive updates on June 25, 2022, public listing session
  • Discuss last three components of Rent Stabilization policy:
    • Applicability of a Rent Stabilization policy
    • Education, compliance, and enforcement
    • Companion policies to support rent stabilization 
Meeting Materials
Meeting Objectives:
  • Share final comments with staff to inform draft legislation
Meeting Materials
Meeting Objectives:
  • Present the proposed policy
Meeting Materials
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