Letter to the editor: Rent stabilization matters

Last year, rent in Massachusetts rose faster than wages in nearly every county. For many families, this meant grappling with an incredibly tough decision, choosing between paying the landlord or providing groceries for their loved ones. The housing crisis is no longer an abstract policy debate; it is a daily reality squeezing households across the Commonwealth.

As a member of the Marion Affordable Housing Trust, I am aware that the housing inventory in many cities and towns is currently at 50–60 percent of pre-pandemic levels. Families feel trapped in homes they cannot sell without facing higher costs for less. Millennials, eager to buy, are priced out before they can save for a down payment. Renters, meanwhile, face relentless increases that threaten to push them out of their communities.

That is why I have been collecting signatures for a ballot initiative to stabilize rents. The proposal is straightforward: limit annual rent hikes to the lower of two benchmarks, the Consumer Price Index or 5 percent. This ensures tenants are protected from sudden, destabilizing increases while landlords still receive a fair return. To address concerns about overreach, the measure exempts owner-occupied buildings with four or fewer units, properties already under public regulation, and short-term rentals.

The League of Women Voters SouthCoast, and a broad coalition, are building momentum for a measure that balances fairness with pragmatism.

Signature gathering is civic engagement. On sidewalks, in shopping malls, and in town centers, we encounter residents. Explaining the details of the rent stabilization initiative, in a brief conversation, requires patience and precision. We also encounter skepticism from homeowners and landlords wary of government regulation. These conversations matter. They allow us to dispel misconceptions and highlight the initiative’s protections for small property owners.

There are also significant logistical challenges to address, such as collecting thousands of signatures. However, the most impactful moments arise from the stories people share, stories of rent taking up half their paychecks, children unable to afford homes in the towns where they grew up, and families forced to move repeatedly.

This ballot initiative is about more than numbers. It is about stability, fairness, and the future of our communities. By signing a ballot initiative, residents are standing up for the principle that everyone deserves a secure place to call home.

Eileen Marum

Marion