The Greater Boston Real Estate Board submitted testimony to the Massachusetts Legislature to oppose rent control and several other landlord-tenant measures.
Rent control
The testimony, submitted to the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Housing, opposed a collection of rent control bills proposed for the Commonwealth, citing concerns that the regulations could slow development and worsen the housing shortage. The testimony also called out the MBTA Communities Act and its role in mandating multifamily development.
“In today’s housing market, Massachusetts cannot afford to pass measures that will negatively impact the production of new housing and the maintenance of existing supply, especially after the Legislature adopted the MBTA Communities Act and other zoning reform measures to address our housing supply crisis,” GBREB said.
Tenant right of first refusal
GBREB also testified against several bills that would compel landlords to offer tenants an opportunity to make an offer on the rental unit they occupy if the landlord decides to sell the property.
“It is likely that the passage of ROFR will result in less new rental construction and will take away the freedom of state and local agencies to make choices that support housing production,” GBREB said.
Algorithmic rental pricing software
The testimony argued against the idea that software that collects data and makes rental price recommendations contributes to affordability barriers for renters.
In contrast, “[s]tate and local efforts would overregulate an already highly regulated housing market and could deter innovation in rental housing management, thereby further worsening housing affordability,” the testimony stated.
Consumer reporting for tenant screening purpose
Finally, GBREB expressed member interest in maintaining and expanding landlord access to tenant information during the screening process.
“Our landlord members report that consumer reporting, which can include balances owed to previous landlords and recipients,is critical information,” GBREB said.