"Rent control is not going to be the solution to how we get through this crisis. We need to build more homes. I'm a no because if you look at the studies, you effectively halt production... I don't want to see housing production stopped." - Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey

I wish more politicians would follow her example by starting answers with "if you look at the studies..." Kudos to her. It takes courage and leadership to stand up to pro- rent control NIMBYs.

She's entirely right. Cut red tape, deregulate to build more & create the conditions to make homebuilding easy. A damn shame that more big city & urban Dems do not think like her.

Speaking to a 2026 rent control ballot question that, if passed, would; - cap rent increases to CPI or 5%, whichever is less - offer only a 10 year grace period for new construction - exclude ONLY owner occupied 4-units or less & non-profits - vacancy controls - no local option

I owe you an apology Maura, I wasn’t really familiar with your game

She is correct and will lose the argument.

@scottlincicome Holy shit—a big city Dem pol finally figured it out.

It’s insane to me that people don’t understand that a growing population needs more homes to live in because of 1st grade math reasons.

@jbarro I am absolutely shocked to hear a Democrat acknowledging a long-understood economic truth. What a breath of fresh air. Now what will she do to ruin it?

I’m delighted that a blue state Democrat is openly admitting the rent control does not help New York City once again needs to learn that lesson the hard way Hoping that Yonkers goes on a building spree

This is both obviously correct and really tough politically. Hope she’s able to see it through.

It's nice to have a Governor who understands and trusts the science!

People can't afford rent, so her solution is to build more 800K houses and 900K condos.

Gov. Healey is right: rent control/price caps may feel like relief, but they come with real supply costs: less building and investment. In our recent Management Science paper with Julio Elias and Nicola Lacetera, we show that support for price caps drops sharply once people are informed about these supply effects. 👇🏼

Queen!

Nice! Didn’t realize Maura Healey was so clear-eyed on this. Sounds like she’s actually making a good-faith effort to lower housing costs.

She’s 100% right. Rent control skyrockets the housing market by effectively taking units off the market.

Glad to see this shift. Beats repeatedly doing the thing that never works.

Local governor understands basic laws of economics. More at 10.

You also have to tax or limit corporate ownership of housing.

It should be a requirement for eligibility for public office to have taken - and mastered the material of - a course in microeconomics.

Agree. Increase the supply.

The people of mass should be thankful their governor isn’t quite as retarded as some of the other governors in the area.

Fair play to her. She's completely right. Rent controls are a disaster

Good on her. This issue is a good test to see who really does make decisions grounded in #science

Everyone: Well, did rent control work for _____? Left wing populists: No, it never does. I mean, these people somehow delude themselves into thinking it might, but ... But it might work for us.

@AJentleson She is correct

Wow finally common sense prevails

This is what political courage looks like. She's 100% right, but likely to pay a political price. It would be easier for a politician to just go along with the bad policy as is.

We need total rent control, where you live is decided by the politburo in washington

She is right on this

I want all debates in this format going forward. All candidates need to present their ideas like they are reviewing play calls. Complete with headsets and everything 😂

She has a baby brain.

Yasssss this is the way

One of the rare times that Maura is 100% spot on