Rent raise limits?

[living life happier]

My landlord is raising my rent more than 7% for the next year. Is there any state or city limit on the amount a landlord can raise the rent? I'm in Davis Square. Thanks for any help you can give!

Comments

[smoterh.livejournal.com]

That is a terrible argument. In the American democratic process the laws of higher political entity trump the laws of the smaller one. It was by-the-book democratic process. Abolishing rent control is the main reason why places like Cambridge are flourishing today.

[ron_newman]

In my observation, Cambridge has always flourished. It was a fine place to be in the 1970s through 90s, and still is today, except that it's now less affordable.

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

Cambridge has done exceptionally better since the early 90s and I think getting rid of rent control played a small part. The quality and supply of housing available in the area has improved tremendously. Rent control dampens new development and promotes suburban sprawl.

[pixelsand.livejournal.com]

"better" is a subjective term that can mean a lot of things. What's not subjective is that housing in this city is prohibitively expensive for anybody who isn't a high salary earner or able to obtain subsidized housing. If this continues we are going to lose artists, academics and other types who contribute a lot culturally but don't draw large incomes. Forcing people to live with roommates well into their 30's, 40's and beyond is not a solution. I have several friends who have lived here and love it but do not see it as a permanent place to settle due to the cost. I don't know if rent control is/was a solution but for whatever improvements it has brought to the housing stock, it has also caused the city to suffer in terms of the diversity of residents who can afford to live here on a more permanent basis (ie not students).

[smoterh.livejournal.com]

There are always less desirable and more desirable areas. I live in Somerville not because I want to, but because I can't afford to live in a loft in the South End. If a person that can't afford Cambridge or Somerville, then they should move to Everett or Chelsea - just like I moved to Somerville for the same reason. Artists, academics are are not better class of people then 9-5 average Joes and should not deserve a special treatment.

[pixelsand.livejournal.com]

I'm not suggesting special treatment, but rather that it's not healthy for the city to segregate people based on income. We need a diversity of people in every neighborhood possible, including wealth types, high earners, artists, academics, 9-5 "average joes", blue collar types, etc. Without this you get stagnation. I personally would prefer to live in Somerville to a South End loft because it's vibrant area due to the diversity of the population.

[davisdenizen.livejournal.com]

I am one of those "other types" and as I posted here last year, I had to look for a new apartment after 13 years. After hard work and a miracle and four months of looking, I found a place which raised my rent by only $250. For the first time in quite a few years, most of one of my two monthly paychecks is spent on rent. And now, only a year later, the apartments I was looking at have gone up $500 from my previous rent at a minimum.

This is at least a citywide crisis, and from what I see on Craigslist, a Greater Boston area situation. I work at a local university and I have no car. If I'm forced to move to Everett or even Malden at some point my commute to work will be very difficult. I have lived in Somerville for the last 23 years and I have never seen rents at this inflated level. I have heard about some of the Spring Hill apt. buildings where new owners are planning to charge nearly $1600 for lightly renovated studios!

From what I read locally, it's clear that the market is inflated, partly because of the impending Green Line extension, but this is leading to not only inflated rents, but also inflated property taxes. Everyone is affected, landlords and tenants alike. As pixelsand says, the only people who can find apartments are those who either make a ton of money or who qualify for "affordable", subsidized housing. Everyone in the very large middle, no matter what they do for work, is in deep trouble.

I think what we need is more housing period. When I look at the Somerville Scout, I see lots of articles and pictures having to do with the boom in Somerville, attracting young, vibrant tech companies with young, vibrant workers who can afford to spend lots of money. And that IS a great thing for our city, but I agree with pixelsand that Somerville is and has always been a dynamic, DIVERSE community, and people of all ages, backgrounds and wealth levels share our densely populated space. That is what makes our community so creative and exciting and it would be a shame to lose what is essentially our "middle class", the backbone of people who spend money and make art and contribute to what makes our town different.

[ron_newman]

Rent control never applied to new development, only to buildings already existing when it took effect.

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

Rent control dampens rent prices across the board, greatly reducing new development. It's the main reason why we got rid of rent control.