Two proposed bills would roll back a statewide prohibition on rent control in Massachusetts. The city of Cambridge, how of the anti-rent control movement in the state, is now a poster child for the housing crisis.

A debate about rent control is gaining steam in Cambridge as well as the rest of the state Massachusetts, according to an article by Tim Logan. The issue hasn't gotten traction since 1994, when "Massachusetts voters narrowly outlawed restrictions on what landlords could charge tenants," explains Logan.
Cambridge's formerly strict rent control laws provided some of the inspiration for the statewide ballot measure in 1994, and the city has transformed radically since Massachusetts voters approved that law. "A study by three economists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2014 found that ending rent control boosted the value of residential real estate in Cambridge by about $2 billion over a decade, even after accounting for broader growth in the city’s economy and housing market," according to Logan.
Now faced with those skyrocketing property values, a growing chorus of voices is calling for rent control to ease the burden of housing costs. Two bills proposed in the State Legislature would undo the 1994 law, though according to Logan the prognosis for those bills is unclear.
FULL STORY: Rent control gets a second look in Cambridge

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train
The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.

The Subversive Car-Free Guide to Trump's Great American Road Trip
Car-free ways to access Chicagoland’s best tourist attractions.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion
The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont