Comment Detail

Comment

Hello,
I am a tenant in Massachusetts. Despite having an income that is above the 30% AMI, I still pay half of my paycheck on rent, and worry about what I will do if/when my landlord raises the rent. I have lived in apartments where there were rodent infestations, the landlord refused to do anything, and I didn't push it further because I knew it was a relatively affordable apartment for the area, and I could be replaced by another tenant very quickly. I can't imagine how others who are making a lower income than me, and have families to support and other things requiring more of their spending, survive. We are all citizens here. Part of being a citizen is knowing we will have access to fair and safe homes. We are not asking for a free hand out, we are asking for some restrictions on exploitation, which is exactly what is happening in the rental market. Landlords are making as much money as they can. Even the "affordable" listings (such as Boston's Metrolist) are completely unaffordable, and I am wondering who they are meant to be serving when they are so high.
There is an abundance of research on how investing in protections against rent gauging and more tenant protections so that they can have a safe home without retaliation from landlords will save from the budget that goes towards mitigating the tragic effects these have on so many lives. And, again, as our government, what could be more of a duty than to represent our very most basic needs? People are working, and working hard, and yet we cannot simply have a place to live. It is not neccessary, it is not right, and it is not fair.