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| 2 | 2 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 391 FILED ON: 1/8/2025 |
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| 3 | 3 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1526 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Tara T. Hong |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act establishing a rent stabilization commission. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Tara T. Hong18th Middlesex1/8/2025 1 of 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 391 FILED ON: 1/8/2025 |
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| 17 | 17 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1526 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Representative Hong of Lowell, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1526) of Tara T. |
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| 19 | 19 | | Hong for an investigation by a special commission relative to rent stabilization. Housing. |
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| 20 | 20 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 21 | 21 | | _______________ |
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| 22 | 22 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2025-2026) |
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| 24 | 24 | | _______________ |
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| 25 | 25 | | An Act establishing a rent stabilization commission. |
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| 26 | 26 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 27 | 27 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 28 | 28 | | 1 SECTION 1. (a) There shall be a special commission established to study the feasibility, |
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| 29 | 29 | | 2impact and design of a rent stabilization law for the commonwealth. The commission shall |
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| 30 | 30 | | 3consist of 11 members representing a diverse range of perspectives, including tenant advocacy |
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| 31 | 31 | | 4groups, landlords, housing policy experts and municipal government officials. The members |
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| 32 | 32 | | 5shall include: (i) the secretary of the executive office of housing and livable communities or the |
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| 33 | 33 | | 6secretary's designee, who shall serve as chair; (ii) 2 members appointed by the governor; (iii) 2 |
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| 34 | 34 | | 7members from a housing nonprofit located in the commonwealth; (iv) 1 member from a public |
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| 35 | 35 | | 8housing development organization; (v) 1 member from a private housing development |
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| 36 | 36 | | 9organization; (vi) 3 members from communities in the commonwealth affected by rent |
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| 37 | 37 | | 10stabilization; and (vii) 1 member with a background in real estate. |
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| 38 | 38 | | 11 (b) The study shall include, but not be limited to: 2 of 2 |
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| 39 | 39 | | 12 (i) assessments on the impact of rent increases on housing affordability across the |
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| 40 | 40 | | 13commonwealth, including focusing on high-demand areas such as Boston, Lowell and |
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| 41 | 41 | | 14Cambridge and other gateway cities; |
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| 42 | 42 | | 15 (ii) evaluations on existing rent stabilization models in other states and municipalities, |
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| 43 | 43 | | 16including their successes, challenges and applicability to the commonwealth; and |
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| 44 | 44 | | 17 (iii) analysis on the economic implications of rent stabilization for tenants, landlords and |
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| 45 | 45 | | 18the broader housing market in the commonwealth; and |
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| 46 | 46 | | 19 (iv) comprehensive data gathered on rental trends, vacancy rates, tenant displacement and |
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| 47 | 47 | | 20housing supply to inform policy recommendations. |
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| 48 | 48 | | 21 (c) The commission shall hold public hearings on rent stabilization to ensure community |
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| 49 | 49 | | 22voices are reflected and incorporated into the study. |
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| 50 | 50 | | 23 (d) The department shall prepare a report on its activities and on any findings and |
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| 51 | 51 | | 24recommendations. The report shall be submitted to the: (i) governor; (ii) chairs of the joint |
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| 52 | 52 | | 25committee on the housing; (iii) chairs of the senate and house committees on ways and means; |
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| 53 | 53 | | 26and (iv) offices of the house and senate clerk not later than December 31, 2026. |
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| 54 | 54 | | 27 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect 90 days after its passage. |
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