Page 8 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2026 RENT CONTROL | FROM Page 1 nicipal elected offi cials were opposing the ballot question, with over 10 elected offi cials from Revere alone, citing concerns about the one-size-fi tsall housing policy’s impact on municipal budgets and housing creation. The policy would repeal a law passed by voters in 1994 and eventually would apply to virtually all privately owned rental housing across Revere that is not owner occupied. “This proposal would remove local control and implement one of the strictest statewide rent control policies across the Commonwealth, ignoring the unique needs of the diverse communities like Revere that make up our state,” said Mayor Keefe. “Across Revere and the Commonwealth, we have been working feverishly to increase housing production — encouraging development, supporting density, and getting more shovels in the ground. Rent control would stall construction, discourage new development, and ultimately reduce the housing supply. When development slows or stops, affordability gets worse.” “I see the issue of rent control from every angle. I grew up in Section 8 housing. I’ve been a renter. And today, I’m a homeowner, property owner THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION – HIGHWAY DIVISION NOTICE OF A DESIGN PUBLIC HEARING Project File No. 612100 A Design Public Hearing will be held by MassDOT to discuss the proposed Improvements at Beachmont Veterans Memorial School Safe Routes to School (SRTS) project in Revere, MA. WHERE: WHEN: Revere City Hall, Council Chambers 281 Broadway, Revere, MA 02151 Tuesday, May 5, 2026 @ 7:00 PM PURPOSE: The purpose of this hearing is to provide the public with the opportunity to become fully acquainted with the proposed Improvements at Beachmont Veterans Memorial School Safe Routes to School project. All views and comments submitted in response to the hearing will be reviewed and considered to the maximum extent possible. PROPOSAL: The proposed Safe Routes to School project consists of sidewalk improvements in the vicinity of Beachmont Veterans Memorial School. The project includes a 10-foot shared use path in front of the school, a new cross walk and bump out on Everard Street near Cottage Street, and new crosswalks and reconstructed pedestrian curb ramps on Crescent Avenue, Belle Isle Avenue, and Everard Street. A secure right-of-way is necessary for this project. Acquisitions in fee and permanent or temporary easements may be required. The town is responsible for acquiring all needed rights in private or public lands. MassDOT’s policy concerning land acquisitions will be discussed at this hearing. hearing shall be displayed for public inspection and copying at the time and date listed above. Plans will be on display one-half hour before the hearing begins, with an engineer in attendance to answer questions regarding this project. A project handout will be made available on the MassDOT website listed below. Project inquiries, written statements and other exhibits regarding the proposed undertaking may be submitted to Carrie E. Lavallee, P.E., Chief Engineer, via e-mail to MassDOTProjectManagement@dot.state.ma.us 10 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116, Attention: Project Management, Project File No. 612100. Statements and exhibits intended for inclusion in the hearing transcript must be emailed or postmarked no later than ten (10) business days (14 calendar days) after the hearing is hosted. This location is accessible to people with disabilities. MassDOT provides reasonable accommodations and/or language assistance free of charge upon request (e.g., interpreters in American Sign Language and languages other than English, live captioning, videos, assistive listening devices and alternate material formats), as available. For accommodation or language MassDOT.CivilRights@dot.state.ma.us). Requests should be made as soon as translation or interpretation, requests should be made at least ten (10) business days before the hearing. In case of inclement weather, hearing cancellation announcements will be posted on the internet at https://www.mass.gov/orgs/highway-division/events. JONATHAN GULLIVER CARRIE E. LAVALLEE, P.E. April 24, May 1, 2026 and manager, and real estate professional,” said Pratt Properties CEO Peggy Pratt, who is a Real Estate Broker and Revere Zoning Board Member. “This proposal will disproportionately aff ect small, local landlords — not large corporations. We are the ones who maintain properties, work directly with tenants, and provide a signifi cant share of the housing in our communities. We are also the ones who try to keep rents low and manageable for our neighbors.” A new study from the Center for State Policy Analysis at Tufts found rent control would eliminate $300 billion of Massachusetts property values over the next decade, crushing municipal budgets and forcing local leaders to cut back on key services or drastically shift the tax burden to homeowners and condo owners to maintain investments in education, infrastructure and public safety. In Revere, the study predicts, the city would lose 15.47% of its assessed property value over the next decade. “Our schools already operate on tight margins, and we rely heavily on local property tax revenue to fund classrooms, support teachers, and provide services to students,” said School Committee Member Alex Rhalimi. “If this policy leads to declining property values, as shown by a recent study from the Center of State Policy Analysis at Tufts, it will directly impact school funding. That will lead to diffi cult decisions: fewer resources, delayed investments, and increased pressure on educators and students.” The proposed ballot question would cap rental rate increases at the annual change in the Consumer Price Index, which has averaged about 2.58% over the past 20 years — with no exceptions for building renovations and no appeal process for property owners to recover costs for upgrades or improvements. That would be the lowest statewide cap in the United States. Unlike in other states, the Massachusetts proposal would also apply to vacant units, meaning that for property owners who kept rents lower for elderly or long-term residents, they will never be able to catch up to market rates when those homes are vacated. “The only way out of our housing crisis is to build more supply to support our communities.” said State Representative Jeff Turco. “We should instead support policies that encourage housing production — expanding multifamily zoning and transit-oriented development, removing permitting barriers, and providing targeted assistance to those most in need.”
9 Publizr Home