With one vote short of a veto-proof majority, rent stabilization passes the Providence City Council for the first time

“After years of being squeezed for every dollar possible, Providence renters are demanding stability, predictability, and fairness in the rental market," said Council President Miller.

On a 9-6 vote, the Providence City Council voted to approve a rent stabilization ordinance. The ordinance needs to be passed a second time before it can be sent to Mayor Brett Smiley’s desk, who has said he intends to veto it. The City Council needs 10 votes to override the veto, so the future of the ordinance is in question, though a veto might not be the best political move Mayor Smiley can make. A new Boston Globe poll shows strong support for rent stabilization in Providence, with 74% of likely Democratic voters saying they support limiting annual rent increases to four percent. In a close re-election campaign against progressive challenger David Morales, who has advocated and testified for rent stabilization, a veto might cinch Mayor Smiley’s defeat.

Here’s the video:

“This poll confirms what we have heard consistently throughout this entire process,” said Council President Rachel Miller (Ward 13). “After years of being squeezed for every dollar possible, Providence renters are demanding stability, predictability, and fairness in the rental market. At every listening session, in hundreds of emails, and through countless hours of public testimony, people have made their voices loud and clear: rent stabilization is needed.

“This polling shows a broad, citywide consensus, following another poll that shows a broad, statewide consensus. We’ve responded to that community pressure by developing a rent stabilization policy unique to Providence—one that targets large, corporate landlords while supporting local, mom-and-pop property owners. We’ve taken the time to engage the community, incorporate feedback, and build a balanced ordinance that protects tenants from unexpected rent increases they simply cannot afford.”

The results are consistent with a 2025 poll conducted by the University of Rhode Island, which found that 72% of Rhode Islanders support limits on rent increases, and in line with an analysis by the City Council demonstrating that a significant majority of Providence residents submitting written testimony are in faor of the ordinance. Most of the opposition, it seems, comes from landlords and lobbyists who live outside of the city.

After being unanimously voted out of the Special Committee on Health, Opportunity, Prosperity, and Education (HOPE), the full city council passed the rent stabilization ordinance for the first time on Thursday.. The ordinance, which would cap annual rent increases at 4% with exemptions that take Providence’s specific needs into account, was shaped by months of public engagement across the city, extensive policy research, and input from national housing experts. According to the ordinance’s sponsors, the proposal is designed to bring predictability and fairness to a housing market where rent increases have too often outpaced what residents can afford.

“Tonight, the Providence City Council spoke for the 60% of residents in our city who rent their homes,” said Council President Miller. “We spoke for a positive vision of Providence where we build more housing, protect the homes we have, and stabilize rents so families can plan for their future, while ensuring property owners can continue to maintain and invest in their buildings.”

One conspicuous no vote came from City Councilmember John Goncalves (Ward 1) who has produced long emails to his constuents outling his opposition to the ordinance, while also claiming a “deep understanding of the urgency and pain of our housing affordability crisis.” Councilmember Goncalves additionally spoke for over 20 minutes at the city council meeting explaining his thought process. While people suffer under the ever increasingrent increases and unscupulous landlords use large rent increases as a way to evict tenants from their homes, Councilmember Goncalves would see the creation of “an independent, third-party study, … [a] another formal fiscal note, [and a] … comprehensive legal review.”

Councilmember Goncalves would be wise to take a lesson from the recent special election in Ward 2, in which Jill Davidson, a vocal supporter of rent stabilization, sailed to an easy victory, taking 49% of the vote against three opponents. (Mayor Smiley lives in Ward 2, demonstrating that his neighbors are not in sync with his views on the subject.) More importantly, from Councilmember Goncalves point of view, groups working to pass rent control have promised to run a challenger in the coming election.

The ordinance is designed to enable Providence residents to plan for their future and remain in their homes while taking into account the needs of landlords, allowing additional rent increases when necessary to cover significant capital improvements, major tax increases, or other legitimate large expenses. The system is complaint-based and does not impose ongoing reporting requirements, allowing it to provide strong protections without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.

The proposal also establishes a five-member Residential Rent Regulation Board to oversee implementation, resolve disputes, and ensure the policy is enforced fairly. Sponsors have emphasized that the Board is a key part of a flexible, responsive system that can adapt to real-world conditions.

According to sponsors, the policy is carefully written to focus on the large, corporate landlords most responsible for extreme rent increases, while including exemptions for small, local owner-occupied landlords, deed-restricted affordable housing, and new construction. Amendments made in committee related to new development create a pathway to a 20-year exemption for projects that provide good-paying local jobs.

“This ordinance is informed by lessons from the 200 municipalities across the country with some form of rental regulation on the books. It was strengthened through extensive public input—from residents and organizations both supportive of and opposed to this effort,” noted Council President Miller.. “Tonight, it passed its first hurdle with support from a majority of the City Council. I’m deeply grateful to Chairman Pichardo, Chairwoman Harris, the members of the HOPE Committee and Housing Crisis Task Force, my fellow councilors, and our staff for the many hours spent shaping this proposal and listening to feedback. Most of all, I’m grateful to the residents of Providence who showed up, shared their stories, and made their voices heard.”

Stabilizaing rents is only one component of battling the city’s housing crisis. Council President Miller and Councilmember Mary Kay Harris (Ward 11) anounced the Boosting Urban Investment to Launch Development (BUILD) Act on Wednesday, and it was introduced at Thursday night’s council meeting, where it was refered to the Finance Committee. Under the BUILD Act, qualifying low-income housing developers would not be taxed during the construction period before occupancy.

“If we’re serious about addressing the housing crisis, we have to make it possible to actually build affordable housing,” said Councilmember Harris. “Right now, projects can face full tax bills before any rent is coming in, which makes development much harder. The BUILD Act removes that barrier, helping projects move forward and supporting organizations that are building deeply affordable homes in neighborhoods like South Providence.”