An Act enabling cities and towns to stabilize rents and protect tenants

HD 2501 allows cities and towns to adopt local rent stabilization and tenant protection measures. It enables municipalities to limit annual rent increases to the lower of the local Consumer Price Index or 5%, and requires landlords to have "just cause" (like nonpayment, lease violations, or property conversion) to evict tenants. The bill directly affects renters in participating municipalities, excluding owner-occupied buildings with four or fewer units, new construction (for five years), college dorms, senior facilities, and units subject to public housing regulation. Municipalities must adopt local ordinances within 180 days of acceptance and report annually to the state housing office. The law does not override existing state or federal tenant protections.