Background

Rent control was banned in Massachusetts statewide in 1994 following the passage of a ballot initiative. The proposed law would limit all residential rent increases in a 12-month period to 5% or the annual increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), whichever is lower. The limit would not apply to new buildings for the first 10 years, nor to owner-occupied buildings with four or fewer units. Organizers collected more than 124,000 signatures and turned in more than 90,000 certified signatures to Secretary of State William Galvin's office, clearing the signature threshold needed to advance. The measure will appear on the November 2026 ballot unless struck down in court.