LYNN — The Keep Massachusetts Home rent control ballot campaign has exceeded its signature goal, qualifying the modern rent stabilization initiative for the November 2026 statewide ballot.
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%. It needed more than 74,574 signatures by Nov. 19 and has currently collected more than 124,000 signatures from voters across the state.
The Keep Massachusetts Home coalition, which led the signature collection efforts, consists of organizations such as Lynn United for Change, 1199 SEIU, Essex County Community Organization, Mass Senior Action Council, Neighbor 2 Neighbor, New Lynn Coalition, SEIU Local 509, and United Nations CDC of Lynn.
Lynn United for Change Executive Director Isaac Simon Hodes spoke about the success of the volunteers’ efforts.
Hodes said, “Just about everyone is sick of out of control housing costs, frustrated the government hasn’t taken strong action, and hungry for a direct response. If we want a city where neighbors know each other and people participate in their community and work together to improve things, we need stability in housing. And the only policy that can get us that stability is a limit on rent increases by absentee landlords.”
Hodes added, “The strength of this campaign is the huge numbers of volunteers that have gotten involved, and that grassroots power is going to help us overcome the big money that corporate real estate developers will spend against us.”
Lynn resident Patty Ford gave her perspective on how rent increases are impacting the community.
“Over the past few months, I’ve talked to hundreds of my neighbors as I collected signatures. I heard horror stories of landlords raising the rent by hundreds of dollars overnight, corporate real estate investors buying up homes, and families being forced out of their neighborhoods,” Ford said.
Ford added, “We need rent control to ensure that everyone can afford to live in Massachusetts. It’s time to put our families ahead of corporate real estate investors and their search for endless profits.”
Councilor-at-Large Nicole McClain’s name appeared on the official ballot petition as one of the initial 10 voters.
“It isn’t here and there. It’s happening more frequently. People are having to leave our city and are becoming unhoused in our city because of rent increases. I would like to do whatever I can to help residents stay in their home,” McClain said of why she chose to sign the petition.
Councilor-at-Large Brian LaPierre, Ward 4 Councilor Natasha Megie-Maddrey, and Ward 6 Councilor Fred Hogan have also voiced their support of the campaign.
LaPierre said, “I am elated to see that the Homes for All Massachusetts ballot initiative is on pace to make it onto the 2026 ballot next year. I was thrilled to be an original sponsor to see that out of control rents and the lack of affordable housing will be helped by this petition.”
He added, “Although the signature collection was a success, there is still much work to be done to ensure that the yes vote prevails in November so municipalities like Lynn can help address this housing crisis by providing tools to both renters and landlords to stave off evictions and housing displacements in Lynn and statewide as well.”
Megie-Maddrey said, “Here in Lynn, we know how urgent this is. Families have seen rents jump by hundreds of dollars overnight. Corporate investors are buying up buildings and pricing out the very people who built this city. And every week, I hear from residents who feel like they are one rent hike away from losing everything.”
She added, “The rent stabilization ballot initiative offers a fair, balanced solution. It would limit extreme rent increases, protect small landlords, and still encourage the growth of new housing. Most importantly, it would give families something too many have lost, stability.”
Hogan said, “A lot of people I grew up with in my neighborhood are facing issues with increased rents. I gotta support my neighbors and stand with people I grew up with. These rent increases are outstandingly high for a lot of my constituents.”
He added, “I’ve seen many families super frustrated when they can’t pay their rent. People need help. Something has to change. We gotta start somewhere.”
