Providence rent stabilization push springs back to post-primary life

Providence, Rhode Island, Mayor Brett Smiley beat back rent stabilization efforts early this year. After Tuesday night’s Democratic primary, the city may now be on a renewed path toward rent stabilization. Smiley lost the Democratic primary to state Rep. David Morales, who built his mayoral campaign around bringing rent stabilization to the capital city. Backed by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, Morales echoed themes New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani used to win. Odds are strong that Morales will become mayor in November. A Republican hasn’t won since 1982. Morales has pledged to sign rent stabilization into law within his first 30 days as mayor. That timing tightened during the campaign from his original 100 days. Like many cities around the country, Providence struggles with affordability and a need for more housing. The City Council passed rent stabilization this spring. Smiley vetoed the ordinance, and the council couldn’t override the veto in May. It missed by a single vote. Relying on a housing supply platform Throughout his campaign, Smiley defended his decision amid a growing wave of rent-stabilization rhetoric. He maintained that adding more housing supply is the best answer to...