Last week the attorney general approved language for a potential 2026 ballot measure that, if passed, would implement rent stabilization across the state. The measure would cap annual rent increases at the rate of inflation (determined by the Consumer Price Index, also called CPI) up to 5%. That means if your rent is $2,000 per month, the maximum your rent could increase each year would be $100. Keeping rents affordable is an essential tool that builds stable communities for all. It is essential for everyone — tenants, local government and businesses, our housed and unhoused neighbors — to support. Anyone interested in joining the movement for rent stabilization should drop by the Franklin County Kick-Off between noon and 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14 at Looky Here.
Franklin County is not immune to the housing affordability crisis that has plagued major metropolitan areas for decades. Similar dynamics play out here. According to the 2024 Greenfield Housing Study, even though rents in town are slightly lower than the regional average they are too high for most current residents to pay. Almost half of renters in Greenfield pay more than 30% of their income in rent. Fourth quarter 2024 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the average weekly wage in our county is $1,080, the lowest in the state. That means that if a rent-burdened household was to have their rent increased to a level they couldn’t afford, which wouldn’t take much, they likely would not find an affordable unit in town. They would either be displaced to another more affordable place, which may be out of state, given that our rents are low for our region, or they would become unhoused. An intervention like rent stabilization stops displacement and keeps a roof over people’s heads.
It’s important to remember that this policy doesn’t make rent increases illegal. Landlords are still able to increase the rent, it just needs to be at an affordable rate and predictable timeline. This is the same expectation mortgage-holders have for banks, and renters deserve the same. Landlords can even benefit from rent control. Stable and affordable housing means they don’t need to constantly search for new tenants, and there are still legal remedies available if tenants violate their lease.
There are three important exemptions from the potential policy, which all help target corporate landlords more likely to implement unreasonable rent increases. The first exemption is for public housing authorities, who often use affordability formulas to determine rents. The second is for owner-occupied buildings with four units or less. The last is for new developments, who will be exempt for their first 10 years. This allows developers to recoup the cost of building. It’s not that we don’t need to build more housing. We absolutely do. We also need housing that is affordable for people who currently live here. Tools like rent stabilization make it possible to have both.
Now is the time to show your support for housing affordability. We need 75,000 signatures from across the state to get rent stabilization on the ballot next year. Our goal is to get 15,000 signatures in Franklin County. Join us at our campaign kickoff Sunday, Sept. 14 at Looky Here to learn more about the measure and sign the petition. If you can’t make it in person, go to https://bit.ly/franklinrentcap to learn more.
Jessa Mae McCormack lives in Greenfield.