{"AmendmentNumber":"605","ParentBillNumber":"H5562","Bill":null,"Sponsor":{"Id":"CPB2","Name":"Christine P. Barber","Type":1,"Details":"https://malegislature.gov/api/GeneralCourts/194/LegislativeMembers/CPB2","ResponseDate":"2026-07-06T16:43:50.777"},"Category":null,"Action":"Consolidated","RollCall":[],"Title":"Rent Stabilization Task Force","Branch":"House","RedraftNumber":null,"IsFurther":false,"GeneralCourtNumber":194,"Text":"Ms. Barber of Somerville moves to amend the bill by adding the following section:-\r\nSECTION XXXX. (a) There shall be a special commission on rent stabilization and anti-displacement matters in the commonwealth. The commission shall operate for two calendar years starting on the day the commission goes into effect and can be renewed.\r\nThe commission shall consist of 33 members: 2 members appointed by each of the governor, the president of the senate, and the speaker of the house of representatives and 1 member appointed by each of the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, MassHousing, the Massachusetts Municipal Association, the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, the Greater Boston Real Estate Board, NAIOP,  Boston Tenant Coalition, City Life/Vida Urbana, the Boston Foundation, Citizens’ Housing & Planning Association, Metropolitan Area Planning Council, Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance, Neighborhood of Affordable Housing, Preservation of Affordable Housing, Heading Home, Inc., Massachusetts AFL-CIO, Massachusetts Building Trades Unions,  Greater Boston Legal Services, Massachusetts Public Health Alliance, Massachusetts Division of Banks, North Suffolk Community Services, Crossroads Family Shelter, Action for Boston Community Development, Massachusetts Teachers Association, Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, Mel King Institute, and Massachusetts Law Reform Institute.\r\nAn appointing authority may remove a member and shall fill vacancies. The president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives shall each designate a co-chair of the commission. Each member of the commission shall be a resident of the commonwealth.\r\n(b) A member of the commission shall serve for the duration of the commission unless removed or replaced by the appointing authority.\r\n(c) The commission shall investigate, study, and make recommendations regarding rent stabilization, housing affordability, displacement prevention, eviction trends and legislation, development activity, vacancy rates, and related housing matters within the commonwealth. Areas of focus include but are not limited to:\r\n(i) review the adequacy of existing statutes, regulations, ordinances, and bylaws on rent stabilization, tenant protections, displacement prevention, and housing affordability and shall consider appropriate policy responses and recommendations;\r\n(ii) study proposals for local-option and statewide rent stabilization and rent control policies, including rent increase limitations, exemptions, enforcement mechanisms, hardship provisions, and municipal implementation practices;\r\n(iii) review policies and data reports related to tenant opportunity to purchase, just-cause eviction protections, eviction prevention strategies, and preservation of naturally occurring affordable housing;\r\n(iv) review local-option housing revenue tools, including real estate transfer fees, affordable housing trust funding mechanisms, and anti-displacement funding strategies;\r\n(v) study housing development trends across the commonwealth, including regional differences in housing demand, vacancy rates, zoning practices, affordable housing production, market-rate housing development, and other factors affecting housing availability and affordability;\r\n(vii) assess geographical differences in residential development and displacement pressures among gateway, high-density, suburban, and rural municipalities;\r\n(viii) review housing data collection practices, including addressing inconsistency in housing variable data collections, for rental market data, eviction data, vacancy rates, rent burden, and other indicators relevant to housing stability within the commonwealth.\r\n(d) The commission shall meet not fewer than 6 times during each calendar year and shall conduct 1 public hearing every 3 months. Notice of any hearing shall be publicly posted not fewer than 14 days prior to such hearing and shall include information regarding remote participation opportunities.\r\n(e) The commission may conduct emergency public hearings with not fewer than 5 days notice upon for topics including but not limited to:\r\n(i) the approval of a statewide ballot initiative substantially related to the subject matter of the commission;\r\n(ii) the enactment of significant housing or tenant protection legislation;\r\n(iii) the declaration of a housing emergency by the governor; or\r\n(iv) significant statewide housing market disruptions or displacement events.\r\n(f) The commission shall submit reports annually, transmitted to the governor, the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, and the joint committee on housing.\r\n(g) The commission may employ staff, subject to appropriation. State agencies and departments of the commonwealth shall provide assistance to the commission upon request. The commission may request data, records, reports, and other information necessary to carry out its duties pursuant to this section.\r\n"}