June 25th, 2026 Rent Control Failed Inspection, But It’ll Be Back

Over the last few days, I've had many landlords call me and ask the same basic question: What do you think about the rent control initiative being removed from the 2026 ballot? My answer has been the same every time: landlords should not treat this as a victory. They should treat it as a two-year warning.

Yes, the removal of the rent control question from the 2026 ballot is good news for landlords, property owners, brokers, and anyone who understands the Massachusetts rental market. But it is important to understand exactly what happened. Rent control was not defeated by voters. The public did not reject it. The real estate industry did not win the argument.