Overview
- Boston Mayor Michelle Wu publicly endorsed the compromise this week and supporters say they will drop their statewide rent-control ballot if the Legislature enacts the bill by July 1.
- The proposal would let individual cities and towns opt into rent control, allow annual increases of inflation plus 5 percent up to a 10 percent cap, permit vacancy decontrol so rents can reset between tenants, and ban no-fault evictions.
- The deal was negotiated between tenant-advocacy groups and four developers including WinnCompanies, HYM, Lupoli Companies, and a Builder Coalition leader, but several major real-estate trade groups and the primary opposition campaign say they were excluded and deny agreement.
- Support on Beacon Hill is uncertain and Governor Maura Healey has expressed resistance over concerns the policy could hinder new housing construction, so legislative negotiations and meetings with lawmakers will determine whether the July 1 deadline is met.
- If lawmakers approve the compromise it could avoid a costly, high-profile November ballot fight and outside spending, but the change would shift the debate to local votes, affect how quickly renters gain protection, and keep housing-production arguments central to the fight.