An Act authorizing the city of Somerville to regulate rent in residential dwelling units

SD 2661 authorizes the city of Somerville to regulate rents in most residential units, setting an annual rent increase cap of 5% (based on the previous year's inflation rate plus 2%). It requires landlords to have "just cause" for evictions, listing specific valid reasons like non-payment or property conversion, and allows the city to mandate relocation payments for certain evictions. The law excludes small owner-occupied homes (3 or fewer units), new construction (within 15 years), certain subsidized housing, and other specific unit types from regulation. This directly affects renters and landlords in Somerville's regulated housing market, excluding the exempt categories listed in the bill.