New Bedford needs rent stabilization
Rents in New Bedford are rising at alarming rates. An already terrible housing crisis is now being exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, creation of cultural districts, art tourism, creative placemaking, a new train line, an emerging offshore wind industry, inflation, price gouging, and speculative buying. All this has already resulted in mass evictions and the displacement of historic residents. In 2022, New Bedford had some of the highest eviction rates and average rental increases in the state. Without any intervention this crisis is likely to worsen, with more families pushed out of their homes due to skyrocketing rents.
New Bedford City Councilors Burgo, Morad, and Gomes have moved to place a non-binding referendum on the November ballot, asking New Bedford voters: "Should the city of New Bedford adopt an ordinance stabilizing rents in order to prevent displacement in the local housing rental market?" City Councilors Carney, Oliver, and Lima do not support the right of their constituents to vote on this issue and seem content to let Mayor Mitchell have the last word.
If passed, the referendum would allow the city's residents to voice their opinion on whether or not the city should adopt a rent stabilization ordinance. It would be a crucial step towards pushing state legislators and local elected leadership to create future binding ordinances that would ensure that historic residents of New Bedford are not displaced by dramatic, unreasonable, and unfair rent increases.
This week I received petitions from both the Coalition for Social Justice (CSJ) and New Bedford activist Erik Andrade. CSJ is encouraging voters to call councilors Carney, Oliver, and Lima to urge them to "Let the people vote!" Erik Andrade has created a change.org petition:
Finally, there will be a rally for rent stabilization at New Bedford City Hall on Thursday, April 27th at 6:00pm:
https://happeningnext.com/event/new-bedford-rally-for-rent-stabilization-eid3a0a2p5303