If we want something to be affordable and widely available (housing), the progressive solution isn't to limit it (which we've done through restrictive zoning and permitting for years) and make it even more expensive (which this tax proposal would do).

As for the question about whether landlords pass on tax increases in the form of higher rents, absolutely! It doesn't take economic research to know landlords aren't in the business of absorbing higher costs, but here is an example from close to home: cre.mit.edu/news-insight...

I'm not sure how substantially increasing taxes based on size of a building creates a less regressive system. That would be accomplished by tiering taxes based on income. For instance, there are many wealthy folks that rent "luxury" units in converted triple deckers who wouldn't be touched by this.

Rise, wash, repeat until homelessness & displacement are exacerbated by a growing housing shortage. 3/

Instead of renting on the high end, many folks who would otherwise occupy these apartments may seek a lower-cost tier of rentals, directly competing against (and outbidding) lower income, often working class Boston residents for the few remaining reasonably priced homes. 2/

Nothing in this policy is allowing the projects to move forward by-right, and it's not an affordable housing overlay like Cambridge has which is the primarily producer of affordable homes there. This is window dressing until these projects are by-right and totally exempt from Article 80.

The settings of a specific production goal is important, and even moreso is the implication that the city DOES have a role in keeping market rents affordable through production of more homes in ALL parts of the city.

We could use much more of this in the housing discourse in Boston.

He also set a specific goal of building 200k homes across the city in 10 years, so that affordable AND market rate tenants can have "more housing such that they are not being priced out..."

For more information, please visit www.abundanthousingma.org/2025-city-of...

Given the desire for more action and dissatisfaction with current approaches, Boston residents showed broad support for a variety of policies that would make it easier to build more homes and increase housing choices. Support for these policies was strongest among renters and younger households.

These results align with surveyed attitudes on efforts to improve housing affordability. Three-quarters of residents say the City government is doing only a fair or poor job on efforts to make Boston more affordable

A new poll from the MassInc Polling Group, commissioned by AHMA, found that overwhelming majorities of Boston residents want the city to take stronger action to address the housing shortage. This support cuts across surveyed demographics, including renters and owners, neighborhood, and income.