The housing crisis is often framed as a lack of compassion, but a closer look at the economics suggests it’s actually a lack of supply, exacerbated by the very policies meant to fix it. This brings us to a central question of the recent political cycle: Was Kamala Harris right about housing? While her 2024 Presidential platform focused on relief for buyers, the underlying mechanics of her proposals merit a deeper look. The Preservation Paradox One of the most effective ways t

The upward creep of rental prices is often discussed in terms of housing affordability, but its ripple effect on the local economy is a story that demands attention. When rents spike, a significant amount of spending power is immediately siphoned out of the local community—a change that impacts everyone, including property investors themselves. A Drain on Local Spending Think of the local restaurants, coffee shops, and small businesses that thrive on discretionary income. As

According to the MassINC Policy Center’s 2025 Gateway Cities Housing Monitor report, Worcester has 8 homeownership deserts. These are defined as neighborhoods where fewer than 20 percent of homes are owner occupied. At under 20% home ownership, the average poverty rate is 30%. At 20% home ownership, the poverty rate is 22%. At 70% home ownership, the poverty rate is 6%. What does this tell us? Cities have been working hard to increase and improve housing in these areas, but m

Massachusetts is facing a ballot question that would bring back rent control. The basic concept is that the maximum rental increase would be limited to CPI or 5%, whichever is less. Even if someone moves out or is evicted, you cannot readjust your rent. You are stuck with your base rent. If rent control passes and your unit is empty, your base rent will remain whatever the previous rent was. Opponents of the bill believe that building values will fall, along with tax receipt

In late 2022, I sounded the alarm on the "Urban Doom Loop", a cycle where declining city centers lead to lower tax revenues, forcing cities to hike taxes on remaining residents, which in turn drives more people out. Today, we are seeing a specific, dangerous version of this spiral playing out in Worcester. Worcester has a problem of its own making: the failed experiment of a dual tax rate. By aggressively pushing commercial taxpayers to lighten the load on residents, the City

Whenever I drive by new luxury apartment buildings in Worcester, like The Revington, Alta on the Row, 145 Front, or The Cove, I'm always curious: who can afford to live there? It's clear that high income and a good credit score are prerequisites, but my assumptions about the demographic were recently challenged. I had the chance to visit one of these buildings and expected to see a community of young professionals in their 20s and 30s. What I found was a bit different—many re

Massachusetts is consistently recognized for its high cost of living, and a closer look at housing assistance statistics reveals just how essential the federal Section 8 voucher program is for renters across the Commonwealth. A Growing Reliance on Assistance The need for rental aid in Massachusetts is significantly heightened compared to the rest of the country. Nearly 10% of Massachusetts renters currently utilize Section 8 vouchers, a figure nearly double the national avera

Many people think of buying or selling properties as a single, transactional event. You sign papers, you hand over a check, and you're done. That philosophy, however, is fundamentally flawed, especially when it comes to investment properties. Real estate is a service, and it's an ongoing one. This transactional mindset is exactly why many buyers think it’s okay to hire an out-of-town agent. They might have had a great experience with an agent who helped them find an investmen

There are now plenty of applications that allow tenants to split their monthly rent into multiple payments. These platforms come with names like Flex, Split Pay, Livble, Zenbase, and Deferit. Each of these applications is similar in that they charge processing fees and enables the tenant to make smaller payments throughout the month. The operational model varies: some require the landlord’s acceptance, while others simply process the payment directly to the landlord. The unde