What fake studies are you talking about? As shared earlier, the only Tufts studies I found relating to the 2024 millionaires tax ballot initiative *do* have analysis and *don't* say what you claim they're saying. (they agree with you!)
cspa.tufts.edu/sites/g/file...
cspa.tufts.edu/sites/g/file...
Copying to the top for visibility. This thread does not accurately describe either study being discussed.
bsky.app/profile/wnei...
Links to the studies:
cspa.tufts.edu/sites/g/file...
cspa.tufts.edu/sites/g/file...
mahousingsolutions.com/wp-content/u...
4) There is a written study for both the Millionaire's Tax and Rent Control. The latter does use the excel sheet for number crunching but... what's wrong with using Excel? It's a great number cruncher!
3) aside from the merits of the studies, you also share a false belief about how vacancy works... MA is not expensive because we have a bunch of homes being kept vacant for investment purposes, which is not a widespread practice. MA is expensive because our vacancy rate is lower than anywhere else!
I think you believe this study is claiming taxes will decrease across the board, which is incorrect. This is the same dynamic as all the depreciating commercial property in Boston today. If one sector depreciates, the result is that everyone else has to pay more in taxes to fill the gap.
This means that the lower landlord tax payments will be offset by higher taxes by everyone else (homeowners, commercial properties). Once again, duh. All this study does is calculate a) how much rental properties will depreciate, and b) how much tax rates will increase to fill that budget gap.
2) The Rent Control study's observation is that rent controlled properties will be worth less money (as you say, duh). Municipal expenditures will stay the same, however, meaning that the tax rate will increase across the board to balance the budget.
If you want to criticize, the study *did* overestimate the amount of tax avoidance rich people would do. But they did correctly acknowledge "a wide range of possibility, in both directions. Some well-regarded research implies far less avoidance; evidence from California points to larger losses."
Quoting the study: "while some high earners are indeed likely to move, the number is relatively small", which would only "reduce expected millionaires tax revenue by around 5 percent." They explicitly state that "the number of people paying this tax will grow over time"!!!
I think you are misrepresenting the findings of both the Fair Share and Rent Control studies, and in turn unfairly maligning Evan Horowitz (who I assume is the guy you accuse of publishing fake studies).
1) The Tufts studies on the Fair Share amendment say the exact opposite of what you claim.
Oregon's legislature passed a bill requiring cities to fund affordability mandates for new buildings or scrap them.
Portland's unfunded version had driven builders to cap projects at 19 homes to dodge the mandate.
www.sightline.org/2026/03/05/o...
this is incredible. lalali chan and @houseourneighbors.bsky.social produced a zine based on slides from a presentation i did on why setbacks make for terrible neighborhoods and cities with less space for trees.
it's perfect
we have to build more housing to get these people out of red states
Massachusetts invests over $16 BILLION annually in public education, a critical investment in our Commonwealth’s future.
We should make sure that future can actually stay here. That means building enough housing so our graduates can put down permanent roots in Massachusetts.
Changes coming to Route 128 👀
1,000 homes at Bay Colony, 400 at Jones Rd, 600 at Market Basket — plus the Green St connector and a new commuter rail station.
More homes. More tax base. No new schools needed.
Smart growth that works for Waltham. 🏘️🚆
new from me: a story about VACANCY CHAINS, the idea that underlies the argument that more housing is good even if you can't afford it www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
Our next organizing event is Sunday Feb, 22nd at the library.
A zoom link is also available through WIN’s website.
Allowing starter homes on smaller lots ➡️ building homes that everyone can afford.
Let's make it reality.
Affordable housing only works if the policy works.
WIN’s recommendations focus on what actually gets homes built: deeper affordability for those who need it most 💵, fewer roadblocks like excessive parking ⚠️, and rules that make on-site affordable units the norm, not an exception 🏡.
6 years, 0 locally permitted affordable homes.
Waltham’s policy has good intentions, but housing isn’t getting built.
It’s time to fix the rules so affordable housing can actually happen.
This Sunday’s meeting will be online only due to winter storm.
Stay warm out there and hope to see you via zoom! Link available through WIN website.
Happening Today!
"78% of Massachusetts voters support “allowing homes to be built on smaller lots,” and 72% support allowing the subdivision of large lots into smaller lots."
www.bostonglobe.com/2026/01/10/o...
New housing stops landlords from raising rents—take it from the CEO of AvalonBay, one of NYC's largest landlords:
"We're well-positioned… we face significantly less new supply. Land entitled for multifamily is hard to come by, the amount of time it takes to get those entitlements… sets us up well.”
WIN’s next organizing meeting is Sunday January 25th at the Library.
Come discuss housing priorities for 2026.
A heck of a chart: in every single one of the 10 major US cities that built the most housing between 2017 and 2023, rents for older, existing units fell—often by quite a bit.
Kick off the new year with WIN at our first social of 2026 at the Shopper’s Cafe on Moody on Jan 16th at 6pm.
Open to anyone looking to meet/connect with neighbors that has an interest in a more affordable, inclusive, and sustainable future for Waltham.
Waltham is doing a zoning review process that has major implications for affordability. Community Scale, the consultant writing the proposed updates, released draft changes for the city’s review.
So far, these changes advance several of WIN’s priorities. Here’s a breakdown of some of the changes.
