Rent control rules in Middlesex County, MA — also known as rent stabilization or rent cap ordinances — limit annual rent increases and protect tenants from displacement.
Rent control is prohibited statewide under MGL c.40P. Cambridge and Brookline lost rent control in 1995 and no Middlesex County city may impose rent limits today.
Massachusetts voters approved the Massachusetts Rent Control Prohibition Act as Question 9 in November 1994, codified as MGL c.40P. The law took effect January 1, 1995 and preempts any municipal ordinance or regulation that directly controls rent levels for privately owned residential property. Before 1995 Cambridge, Brookline, and Boston had active rent control; all three programs ended. Since then Cambridge and Somerville have repeatedly considered returning rent stabilization but require a home-rule petition or state legislative change. In 2023 the Boston City Council passed a rent stabilization home-rule petition, but it did not advance in the Legislature. As of 2026 no Middlesex County city enforces rent control. Landlords may raise rent by any amount at lease renewal with proper written notice. Tenants at-will require at least 30 days written notice of a rent increase.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
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