Housing Partnership advances rent control organizing and plans trust fund revival.
Housing Partnership charts dual rent control strategy, eyes August formal position. Vice-Chair Hannah Shaffer and members discussed a statewide ballot initiative seeking to lift Massachusetts' ban on rent control, with 88,000 certified signatures from 124,000 gathered statewide in the first round,
Housing Partnership · Meeting of June 1, 2026
NORTHAMPTON — Housing Partnership charts dual rent control strategy, eyes August formal position. Vice-Chair Hannah Shaffer and members discussed a statewide ballot initiative seeking to lift Massachusetts' ban on rent control, with 88,000 certified signatures from 124,000 gathered statewide in the first round, against a local options bill allowing municipalities to opt in. Members committed to independent op-eds to counter a $30 million opposition campaign and agreed to formalize a collective position by August once ballot status is confirmed.
The partnership also advanced work to revive its Municipal Affordable Housing Trust Fund, currently dormant with $1,025.64; Gwen Nabad will present a revival plan as part of a CHAPA Housing Fellowship, and Hannah Shaffer, Gwen Nabad, and Yakov Kronrod agreed to meet outside formal sessions to review historic trust fund documents without impacting quorum rules.
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Source: the Housing Partnership meeting of June 1, 2026, compiled from the official minutes.
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