Protect Pittsfield Renters from Unfair Increases: Pass Local Rent Caps Now
Protect Pittsfield Renters from Unfair Increases: Pass Local Rent Caps Now
The Issue
For 20 years, Kristin Winsett and her mother have called their East Street apartment in Pittsfield home. It’s where they built a life filled with memories, community, and stability. But now, with no warning and no meaningful repairs to the aging apartment, their rent is being raised from $900 to $1,600 per month, nearly double the price.
Why? Because a corporate landlord bought the building and wants to recoup the investment. And under current Massachusetts law, that’s perfectly legal.
Massachusetts banned rent control statewide in 1994, and we’re seeing the consequences play out right here in our community. Buildings are bought up by investment firms. Rents are hiked overnight. And longtime Pittsfield tenants, working families, seniors, and disabled residents are being priced out of the homes and neighborhoods they helped sustain for decades.
We cannot wait for Beacon Hill to act. We need local leadership to stand up for renters now.
That’s why we’re calling on the Pittsfield City Council and Mayor Peter Marchetti to pass a municipal rent stabilization ordinance that caps rent increases at a fair and predictable rate, such as the lower of 5 percent or inflation. Local rent caps won’t solve the housing crisis overnight. But they can stop the bleeding, protect our neighbors, and give tenants a fighting chance to stay in their homes.
Other cities across the country have already done this. We can too.
This isn’t about punishing landlords. It’s about restoring balance. A home should not be a speculative asset for out-of-town investors. It should be a place where people can live with dignity and security.
We are asking you to support your constituents, to keep families like Kristin’s housed, and to send a clear message that Pittsfield values community over corporate profits.
Sign this petition to tell Pittsfield’s elected officials the time for local rent caps is now. Let’s protect our neighbors, preserve our housing, and keep Pittsfield a place where regular people can afford to live.
Photo Credit: The Berkshire Eagle
202
The Issue
For 20 years, Kristin Winsett and her mother have called their East Street apartment in Pittsfield home. It’s where they built a life filled with memories, community, and stability. But now, with no warning and no meaningful repairs to the aging apartment, their rent is being raised from $900 to $1,600 per month, nearly double the price.
Why? Because a corporate landlord bought the building and wants to recoup the investment. And under current Massachusetts law, that’s perfectly legal.
Massachusetts banned rent control statewide in 1994, and we’re seeing the consequences play out right here in our community. Buildings are bought up by investment firms. Rents are hiked overnight. And longtime Pittsfield tenants, working families, seniors, and disabled residents are being priced out of the homes and neighborhoods they helped sustain for decades.
We cannot wait for Beacon Hill to act. We need local leadership to stand up for renters now.
That’s why we’re calling on the Pittsfield City Council and Mayor Peter Marchetti to pass a municipal rent stabilization ordinance that caps rent increases at a fair and predictable rate, such as the lower of 5 percent or inflation. Local rent caps won’t solve the housing crisis overnight. But they can stop the bleeding, protect our neighbors, and give tenants a fighting chance to stay in their homes.
Other cities across the country have already done this. We can too.
This isn’t about punishing landlords. It’s about restoring balance. A home should not be a speculative asset for out-of-town investors. It should be a place where people can live with dignity and security.
We are asking you to support your constituents, to keep families like Kristin’s housed, and to send a clear message that Pittsfield values community over corporate profits.
Sign this petition to tell Pittsfield’s elected officials the time for local rent caps is now. Let’s protect our neighbors, preserve our housing, and keep Pittsfield a place where regular people can afford to live.
Photo Credit: The Berkshire Eagle
202
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Petition created on December 1, 2025