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By State Representative Erika Uyterhoeven

Displacement is an issue our district knows all too well. Uncontrolled rent increases, luxury developments, and commodification and financialization of housing has led to rising rents that are forcing Somervillans to be displaced and forcing potential first time homeowners to look elsewhere.

This is an issue so close to home. For example, on Summer and Laurel Street, there is an open case to stop many tenants from being displaced, many of whom have lived over 10 years in their home. After a recent sale of the property, the new landlord is raising rents by nearly 30%, up $400 per month. To make matters worse, white residents were given lower rent hikes than tenants of color. This is just one example of many renters across Somerville and the Commonwealth who are constantly being unfairly displaced and forced to move.

And this issue is not new. During the spring of 2020, in the midst of the initial emergency lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic, several tenants at 19 Central Street on Spring Hill received a harrowing notice that their rent would increase by up to 30% or a $550 rent increase from $1950 per month to $2500 per month. Although tenants organized a tenant association and attempted to negotiate with the property managers for a fair and reasonable rent increase during the pandemic, they forcefully declined. Instead the property managers encouraged tenants to either get a roommate or move at a time nearly a year before vaccines were available when social distancing was the only way to stay safe. Several units were displaced, mainly parents and students. Behind the property management company was – you guessed it – a billionaire and a proud owner of a $26 million dollar superyacht from Michigan. It’s worth noting that 19 Central Street, a 30-unit building, was sold for half the price of the superyacht at $13.275 million.

These predatory landlords are among the super-rich who are doing well because they can capitalize on vulnerable residents through an unregulated housing market. The pervasive business model is simple; force tenants to make a choice: stay and pay $550 more in rent or move, which costs 1 month rent in broker’s fees, first and last month rent, and a security deposit. For a 1-bedroom that can easily cost $6000 in cash up front. What if you don’t have $6000 in your bank account during the pandemic? Tough luck, we’ll find a new tenant to pay your original rent until next year, when the same $550 increase is applied at the 2nd year lease signing again.

The threat of displacement not only deeply harms individuals, it is hurting our community. Our city is a vibrant place with dozens of restaurants, local businesses, artists and musicians, and a warm sense of home. But that sense of home and community is becoming increasingly unattainable due to the rampant insecurity renters face in the age of rising rents.

Combatting Displacement: Local Resources

There are several tools in our kit to combat the housing crisis in Somerville. When constituents reach out to me about facing displacement, I immediately refer them to the Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS) and the Somerville City’s Office of Housing Security.

CAAS has been an indispensable resource in our community, working to eliminate the root causes of economic injustice in Somerville. Since its inception in 1981, CAAS has expanded opportunities for Somerville residents in education, employment, health, neighborhood community, and housing. They are the federally designated anti-poverty agency serving our community and provide excellent support, resources, and community organizing for tenants facing housing insecurity. I am proud to have worked with Senator Pat Jehlen to secure funding for CAAS both in the state’s ARPA funds, as well as additional funding in the State House budget.

I am also proud to support and door to door canvass with the Greater Boston Tenants Union, who have been working hard to organize tenants including the LaCourt Tenants Union and Alpha Tenants Union. Through organizing, they have delivered tangible gains for fellow tenants who are facing horrific conditions. You can volunteer for GBTU here.

Combatting Displacement: Policy Tools

But we must go further to stabilize our community and make housing a right, not a commodity or investment vehicle. One of many tools we should be implementing is rent stabilization or rent control (they are both terms for an umbrella of policies with slightly different branding), which would prevent absurd rent hikes and provide more stability for renters from year to year.

With every such policy Somerville has put forth, there has always been significant effort to protect residents who are part of building our vibrant community. We are united against corporate real estate lobbyists in the State House who are only interested in investing and profiting off of our basic human rights to housing. They have consistently tried to block any policy that touches their bottom line, whether it be inclusionary zoning with more affordable housing or net zero building codes for sustainable housing construction. We simply cannot cater to them anymore.

Beyond this, though, we must also level the playing field for tenants. That means ensuring the right to counsel and adequate legal protections for everyone who is facing an eviction. We must also increase supply and focus housing development — specifically affordable housing — near transit. As the GLX project brings the Green Line through the district, we should be ensuring that those who most need access to public transit have affordable housing options nearby. Finally, we must enact a Housing First model to end homelessness in Massachusetts.

And for those who are seeking to permanently reside in Somerville, we must implement policies necessary to level the playing field for first time homebuyers to be able to settle in our community. Too often, we hear of potential first-time homeowners turning to other cities for housing because it’s impossible to compete with cash offers with no conditions from developers and corporate real estate investors. This is one of the many reasons why I am enthusiastically advocating for Somerville’s transfer fee and Tenants Opportunity to Purchase (or TOPA).

At the end of the day, we must treat housing as a human right and not a financial investment vehicle. Without stable housing, people cannot begin to meet any other of their basic needs, including healthcare, education, or employment. Our community can thrive when people’s basic needs are met.