LYNN – Lynn community groups and several elected officials gathered at Frederick Douglass Park on Saturday to kick off a statewide campaign to stabilize rents in Massachusetts.
The ballot initiative, called An Initiative Petition to Protect Tenants by Limiting Rent Increases, is a measure that would limit annual rent increases in Massachusetts to no more than 5%. The petition will need over 74,574 signatures by Nov. 19 in order to be placed on the November 2026 ballot for a statewide vote.
The “Keep Massachusetts Home” coalition, which is leading the signature collection efforts, consists of organizations such as Lynn United for Change, 1199 SEIU, Essex County Community Organization, Mass Senior Action Council, Neighbor to Neighbor, New Lynn Coalition, SEIU Local 509, and United Nations CDC of Lynn.
“The limit on rent increases would continue to apply when new renters move in, meaning rent could not be drastically increased between tenants. The ballot initiative would support small landlords, not big corporations, by exempting owner-occupied buildings with four or fewer units. And it would encourage housing production and economic growth by applying rent limits to new construction only after a building’s first 10 years,” a press release from the Keep Massachusetts Home campaign stated.
Lynn City Councilor Nicole McClain’s name appears on the official ballot petition as one of the initial 10 voters that was presented to the Attorney General’s office. State Rep. Sean Reid and Lynn City Councilors Fred Hogan, Brian LaPierre, and Natasha Megie-Maddrey have also voiced their support of the campaign.
“I represent Ward 6 Lynn, a working class ward. Most of my constituents can’t afford these steep rent increases. We have seen buildings purchased and the new owners increase the rents well over $500 a month. If you’re making $15-20 per hour, how can you absorb this increase? We need rent control now to help the working class families in Lynn,” Fred Hogan said of the petition.
Reid said, “Talking to thousands of Lynn residents, the biggest issue is the cost of housing. Here in Lynn, its even more troubling because we’ve always been an affordable community. We’re the last line of defense. If people can’t afford to live in Lynn, they can’t afford to live anywhere. So, we’re taking progress in our own hands.”
Megie-Maddrey added, “So many people have told me they’re moving out of Lynn, because they can’t afford the rent anymore. And that is not okay. We need to get involved, and we can all do it together. Rent control is a human right.”
Celly De La Cruz, a community organizer with Lynn United for Change, also spoke to the crowd at the rally.
“Here in Lynn, we see the same story over and over again. A new corporate landlord buys a building and replaces the prices by hundreds of dollars a month. Many families are completely forced out of their homes and communities. When we fight for rent control, we are fighting for our communities, and for a better future for our younger generations,” De La Cruz said.
