After a decision released Tuesday, voters will no longer be able to decide on whether to repeal a decades-old ban on rent control in the commonwealth. Attorney General Andrea Campbell, who certified the question for the ballot, said on GBH Tuesday she was surprised by the SJC’s decision.
“We said to the court at the time the initiative exempts a number of types of housing, including nonprofit housing, and the exemption for religious uses was a minor one within the broader petition," she explained. "The court disagreed and said that even a minor reference to religion is not appropriate for a ballot initiative.”
Supporters of the rent control campaign said the ruling was a massive disappointment, but that their fight to rein in housing costs would continue. Opponents of the effort found support from landlord interests and the real estate industry.
