NAR Files Amicus Brief Opposing Massachusetts Statewide Rent Control Ballot Measure

The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) joined a coalition of housing and industry organizations in filing an amicus brief opposing a November 2026 Massachusetts ballot measure that would impose mandatory statewide rent control. If adopted, the proposal would establish one of the most restrictive rent control regimes in the nation. 

The ballot measure would repeal the Massachusetts Rent Control Prohibition Act of 1994, which voters approved more than three decades ago to eliminate rent control statewide. It would replace that law with a uniform, mandatory rent control system across Massachusetts, allowing only limited exemptions. As drafted, the measure provides no mechanism to ensure housing providers can earn a fair net operating income or recover rising costs such as property taxes, insurance, repairs, or capital improvements. It also fails to include any process for housing providers to seek relief from the rent cap in extraordinary or hardship circumstances.

Despite their well‑intentioned goals, decades of economic research consistently show that rent control policies undermine housing affordability rather than improve it. Rent control discourages new construction and long‑term investment, reduces maintenance and upkeep of existing housing stock, and ultimately limits housing choices for renters over time. 

In addition to the litigation, the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® is leading broader advocacy efforts, alongside other industry stakeholders, to oppose the ballot measure by elevating concerns about its significant economic implications and detrimental impact on the housing market. 

NAR continues to advocate for policies that expand housing availability and protect both tenants and property owners. We will continue to monitor any developments in this case and provide updates accordingly.