In the Boston Globe: Landlords See "Slippery Slope" on Rent Limits
We are pleased to announce that SPOA was included on the front page of The Boston Sunday Globe on March 26. This is a historic first for our organization. SPOA Vice President, Amir Shahsavari, and SPOA member, Allen Hebert, were included in the article. You can read the online version HERE, as well as a PDF version, HERE
When the reporter asked whether a 10 percent cap is untenable for property owners, both Hebert and Shahsavari said that while 10 percent may not be untenable for some owners, price caps themselves are a bad idea for several reasons. They impede our ability to catch up with rising operating expenses and they stunt investment in, as well as the construction of, housing. The rent control board also has sweeping leverage to change anything about the policy, including the 10 percent cap!
Moreover, the price caps pale in comparison to the threats imposed by “just cause" evictions, which make removing difficult tenants nearly impossible, while prohibiting owners from the option of not renewing their leases, even when the leases expire.
Although the entirety of these comments were not included in the final article — beyond our broader message that this proposal will lead to something worse down the line — we are pleased to see that the folks on our side reflected these specific concerns in the comments section of the online version. The response has been great — and we encourage all of you to state your concerns about rent control in the comments section of the online article as well.
We also encourage you to share this email, as well as the attached article, with your friends and neighbors.
Overall, this exposure is a positive development for our cause. We will continue to advocate for the rights of property owners in the weeks and months ahead. Please continue to work with us — as we can't win this battle without you!
SPOA is a landlord advocacy organization made up of volunteers. Our response to this crisis will be determined by our funding. In order to combat this intrusion into private housing we need your support. Please financially support our efforts today - the consequences of these actions may be dire. Housing providers must push back against these dire threats to our industry. Please donate what you can today, or send checks to “SPOA, Inc.” at 840 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02127
