By Sen. Lydia Edwards
Senator Lydia Edwards, State Senator for Third Suffolk District and former Chair of the Housing Committee
As Winthrop continues to grapple with housing challenges, we need to be clear about one thing: we are not powerless when it comes to protecting residents, especially during condo conversions.
In the case of The Somerset, we already have a local example of what responsible development can look like. One that successfully completes a conversion while keeping in mind the residents who have already built their lives there.
When The Somerset in downtown Winthrop was converted from rental housing into condos, the developer put forward a set of protections that recognized those who were already living there. Residents were given significant advance notice – up to two years for seniors and vulnerable populations. Rent increases were limited. Tenants were given the right of first refusal, meaning they had the opportunity to purchase their homes before units went on the market.
These protections are practical safeguards that balance development with dignity. But these protections were designed and passed in 1983.
But future residents in similar situations can and should get more . The only thing stopping that is Winthrop.
Under state law, cities and towns have explicit authority to go beyond the state’s baseline condo conversion protections and adopt stronger local rules. At minimum, tenants are entitled to notice, extended leases 1 to 2 years, limited rent increases, move out costs of $750 to $1000, and a right of first refusal. But communities across Massachusetts have recognized that those minimum protections are exactly that – the minimum.
Since 1983, several cities and towns have taken the opportunity to add additional protections to the 1983 law, including Abington, Acton, Amherst, Boston, Brookline, Lexington, Marlborough, New Bedford, Newburyport, Newton, Salem and Somerville. (A list of local protections can be found at MassLegalHelp.org.)
In some of the aforementioned communities, low income, seniors, and tenants with disabilities receive as much 5 year leases. Rent increases are tightly capped during the transition. Relocation assistance has been raised to keep up with the rent to $10,000 to $15,000.00. In certain cases, municipalities even require a formal review process before a conversion can move forward.
If these protections are possible elsewhere – and we’ve seen them work here, too – why wouldn’t we make them the standard?
The Somerset shows us that developers can succeed while still treating residents fairly. But fairness does not have to depend on the intentions of any one developer. It should be codified in town policy.
At this moment, Winthrop has an opportunity to lead by putting in place clear safeguards for residents when properties are converted. To start, this should include extended notice periods especially for seniors, residents with disabilities, and low-income families. Second, the town should increase the length of the leases for the same populations to three to five years. The rents will be capped and cannot increase more than 10% or CPI whichever is lower. Finally, the town needs to raise the moveout costs to reflect first, last and security costs of 2026.
Without these protections, condo conversations can quickly turn into acts of displacement. Longtime residents – many of whom have built their lives in Winthrop – are forced out, not because they want to leave, but because they can no longer afford to stay.
By adopting a local condo conversion ordinance, Winthrop can ensure that every resident—especially seniors, families, and those on fixed incomes—has time, stability, and real options when change comes.