Rent control legislation continues to emerge in cities and states across the country. Please see the following map assessing rent control threats around the country, along with a list of the many state bills we continue to follow.
Many of the bills introduced are in states where there is strong opposition to rent control. We anticipate that most of these bills will languish in committees. Nonetheless, we will be keeping a close eye on them.
Our attention is largely focused on states that have already implemented some form of rent control or long toyed with the concept. In states like Illinois, Massachusetts and Washington – where there is significant support for rent control – bills have been introduced seeking to revoke statewide preemption on rent control.
Some state legislatures will wrap up in the coming weeks and months, while others will go year-round. Illinois and Massachusetts maintain year-round legislatures, so it’s essential that we remain vigilant. The Washington state legislature is scheduled to adjourn on March 10 and a key bill there already failed to advance out of the relevant House committee.
Notably, at least one state has recognized the (predicable) negative consequences of rent control, with bills in both chambers of the Minnesota legislature seeking to close the loophole and undo the rent control ballot initiatives that passed last fall in the Twin Cities. Passage of these bills seem unlikely, but on the positive side, St. Paul leaders are seeking to revoke some of the most egregious provisions within their new rent control ordinance.
To help combat these negative policies, NMHC created the Growing Homes Together initiative and resource center. There you will find numerous resources to help you educate policymakers on positive, proactive solutions. I also encourage you to sign up for our Growing Homes Together biweekly newsletter to stay up to date on housing affordability issues around the country. In addition, please visit www.nmhc.org/rentcontrol for resources and a map of existing rent control laws around the country.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to Jim Lapides (jlapides@nmhc.org) if you have any questions or thoughts.
Related Resources
- Rent Control Fights Across the Country
- Rent Control Laws by State
- NMHC Rent Control Update: Multifamily Firms Reconsider Investments in Rent Control Markets
- Harvard University Joint Center for Housing Studies: America’s Rental Housing 2022 Report
- Massachusetts Hearing Jumpstarts 2022 Rent Control Battles