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A new law to help make affordable housing acessible for all
This could be the big one
Somerville Five
CCURE initiative petition 1999
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Mayor Joe dumps tenants, condo plan tabled
Bowing to the objections of landlords, Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone has withdrawn his “emergency” ordinance from consideration by the Board of Aldermen.
According to Jesse Kanson-Benanav, of Somerville Community Corporation's Affordable Housing Organizing Committee (AHOC), Ward 3 Alderman Tom Taylor tabled the proposal at the mayor’s request.
Kanson-Benanav says that the mayor is “committed to convening a working group” to review and rewrite the proposed ordinance. That working group would include representative of real estate interests.
However, Curtatone has given no indication when the review process might begin—.or when it might end.
In April, Mayor Curtatone, urged by AHOC, proposed changes to the city's condominium conversion ordinance that would bring tenant protections up to par with those elsewhere in the state.
In May, proponents of the changes far outnumbered opponents, and testified at a hearing about the difficulties of staying in Somerville as renters.
The Small Property Owners of America (SPOA) then mailed an alert to 13,000 Somerville property owners, claiming the proposal was "back-door rent control." Property owners packed a second hearing, prompting Mayor Curtatone to consider changes to his proposal.
Conversions on the rise
From July 2004 through July 2005, Somerville issued nearly 70 percent more condo conversion permits compared to the same period the year before.
From 2000 to 2005, the number of renter-occupied units fell 5 percent, while the number of owner-occupied units rose over 12 percent.
If the trend continues, more long-time Somerville residents will be forced to find housing in other cities as low- and middle-income families will not be able to find affordable rents and will certainly be priced out of the purchase market.
“The conversions have been a needed boost to Somerville’s economy” wrote George Hassett in the Somerville News, a paper sponsored by local realtors.
Despite its name, SPOA is not a large national organization, but is basically Skip and Lenore Schloming, operating out of a small, dilapidated tenement house they own on Inman Street in Cambridge. Yet they deny receiving contributions from large landlords or developers.
Misleading debate
SPOA claims that “By controlling evictions strictly when it comes to rent increases, the ordinance would effectively impose ‘back door’ rent control.”
But the proposed ordinance does not control evictions. Tenants with leases don’t get rent increases. And because the condo law isn’t rent control, tenants-at-will are still subject to eviction without cause.
Mayor Curtatone says, “Rent control is illegal in Massachusetts and even if it weren’t, I’d be the first person to fight it if it were proposed here in Somerville.”
But rent control is not illegal in this State. At least 22 towns already regulate rents and evictions for mobile home residents. All that is required for a city to adopt a rent control ordinance is State enabling legislation.