Chelsea, MA Rental Property Rules: Rent Control (2026)

Massachusetts voters banned rent control statewide via Question 9 in 1994, codified at MGL c. 40P (the 'Massachusetts Rent Control Prohibition Act'). The statute preempts any city or town from imposing regulation on rent amounts, vacancy decontrol, or eviction protections that exceed general landlord-tenant law. This ended the rent control regimes previously in place in Boston, Brookline, and Cambridge. In July 2023, the Boston City Council approved Mayor Wu's home-rule petition proposing a rent stabilization framework (CPI + 6% capped at 10%, covering buildings 15+ years old), but the petition requires state legislative approval to override MGL c. 40P — it remains pending at the State House as of 2026 and is not in effect. Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop have not proposed rent control. Rent increases in all four municipalities are governed by MGL c. 186 and the tenancy-at-will notice rule: a landlord must provide at least 30 days (or one full rental period, whichever is longer) of written notice before raising rent on a month-to-month tenant. Fixed-term leases cannot be modified mid-term. Retaliation for organizing or complaining is prohibited under MGL c. 186, §18. Security deposits are regulated under MGL c. 186, §15B with strict bank-account, interest, and receipt requirements. Boston tenants can access the Office of Housing Stability for mediation.