While Boston's cost of living continues to climb higher and higher, more locals and long-time residents are getting pushed out of their homes because they can't afford their rent.

It's a phenomenon that Portland is all too familiar with; as the foodie scene and micro breweries explode, short-term rentals and trendy hotels attract more and more tourists and new residents (often moving here from pricey Boston).

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh is attempting to protect elderly citizens from being pushed out of the homes they've inhabited for decades by filing legislation to “limit rent increases to 5 percent per year to prevent landlords from using large rent increases to get around just cause protections,” according to the Boston Herald.

While this may sound like a reasonable measure to apply to housing laws, Boston landlords are not thrilled at the prospect of anything resembling rent control. Douglas Quattrochi, executive director of MassLandlords, an organization that represents over 1,400 landlords in the state, explained why:

“Limiting increases is a form of rent control and it’ll create a shortage for people to find a place to live if enacted. When someone gets in through rent control the tenants will never leave.”

Housing Chief Sheila Dillon presented Boston's priorities for residents in her retort.

“Boston’s approach in this in this legislative package is twofold,” Dillon said. “We really do need to generate additional resources for the creation of affordable housing and we’ve been doing an admirable job adding to our affordable housing stock but the Mayor, and all of us, will say that until we have enough affordable housing for for everyone, we need to make sure that residents of Boston are protected and they can stay in their homes. That’s the bottom line.”

 

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