(Boston Orange 編譯)麻州州長奚莉（Maura Healey）今（2）日宣佈，今年8月1日後，在麻州租房子，除非租客自己聘請經紀，否則不再需要支付房屋仲介費。她去年提出的這法案，將在數日後，她簽署2026會計年度預算案後落實。雖然麻州沒有明文規定，但過去以來，在麻州找房子租住的人，即使他們自己沒有聘請房屋仲介，但若是經由仲介敲定承租合約，常需要向房東繳交第一個月，最後一個月，以及作為押金的一個月，總共3個月的租金之後，還得支付一個月，或一個半月的房租給房屋仲介，才能順利完成租賃手續。
對全美租金最貴州之一，整體平均月租2,516元的麻州，以及整體平均月租3,528元的波士頓市來說，那意味著手邊沒有一萬元的人，連租間房子住都會成大問題。
麻州州長奚莉鑑於買不起，甚至租不起房屋是麻州流失大量年輕人的原因之一，2025年1月提出這取消租客支付房屋仲介費法案，並把這法案列為「外部法案(Outside section)」，納入2026會計年度預算案，以期這和動支預算費用並無關係，卻對民生有重大影響的法案，能夠更快速的通過，落實。
這也是奚莉Driscoll政府解決麻州住房危機的全面策略之一。去年奚莉州長簽署了50億美元的「可負擔住房法案」，然後她還提議要在2026-2030的5年之間，撥款23.4億美元，重新開發州有土地，把市中心辦公大樓改建爲住宅。
奚莉州長說，她提案禁止租客支付房屋仲介費（renter-paid broker’s fees）是因為還沒算儘管租客沒聘請，也得支付的這幾千元服務費仲介服務費，麻州的房屋開銷就已經太高了，所以她要禁止這租客支付仲介費，這也是她麾下政府每日努力降低麻州高生活開銷的方法之一。
麻州副州長Kim Driscoll，麻州參議會議長karen Spika，眾議會議長Ron Mariano，還有住房及移居社區廳廳長Ed Augustus，都支持，讚揚這一法案造福租客。
Governor Healey Commits to Signing Budget Provision Banning Renter-Paid Broker’s Fees
BOSTON – Governor Maura Healey today announced that the Fiscal Year 2026 budget that she will sign in the coming days will include her proposal to eliminate renter-paid broker’s fees. In January, Governor Healey filed an outside section in her FY26 budget proposal that would require the fee to be paid by whoever hires the broker, which is usually the landlord.
“The days of renters being forced to shell out upwards of $10,000 before they can even move into an apartment are over. I proposed banning renter-paid broker’s fees because the cost of housing is already way too high in Massachusetts without adding thousands of dollars in fees for a service you didn’t hire,” said Governor Healey. “I’m grateful that the Legislature agreed that the person who hires the broker should be responsible for paying them. While we continue to review the full budget, I am proud to say that the budget I sign will ban renter-paid broker’s fees. This is one of just many ways that our administration is working every day to lower the high cost of living in Massachusetts.”
“Between first and last month’s rent, a security deposit and a broker’s fee – moving to a new apartment was breaking the bank for far too many Massachusetts residents,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “This was forcing young people look elsewhere to start their careers, making it harder for businesses to find the talent they need, and preventing families and seniors from moving into the homes that are right for them. I’m glad that Governor Healey’s proposal will soon be law, and that renting a home in Massachusetts will become more affordable for people across the state.”
“This will put money back in renter's pockets starting August first,” stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “I'm proud to see this Senate-led initiative signed into law, as we work to lower costs and expand opportunities for residents. At the start of this session I said we would deliver on shifting the burden of broker's fees, and through our partnership with the House under Speaker Mariano and the Administration under Governor Healey, we got it done. I look forward to continuing to work on creative ways to address the state's housing crisis.”
“The extraordinarily high cost of housing is one of the most significant challenges that the Commonwealth currently faces. For renters in Massachusetts, it has meant making higher monthly payments than residents in almost any other state, a fact that many former residents often cite as the reason for moving out of the Commonwealth,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “That’s why the Legislature passed the largest investment in affordable housing production in the history of Massachusetts last year, and it’s why our FY26 budget eliminates brokers fees. Renters in Massachusetts should not be forced to pay thousands of dollars in fees for a service that they themselves never contracted in the first place. The House remains committed to ensuring that state government does all that it can to bring down the cost of housing here in Massachusetts, and we’re grateful to Governor Healey and our partners in the Senate for their shared commitment to that goal.”
Since taking office, Governor Healey has prioritized building more housing to lower costs across the state. Last year, she signed the $5 billion Affordable Homes Act, which is creating tens of thousands of new housing units, including authorizing Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) by right. The FY 2026-2030 Capital Investment Plan that Governor Healey released this week invests $2.34 billion for housing over five years, which will support the creation of over 6,000 new units. Since taking office, the Healey-Driscoll Administration has increased capital funding for housing by 71 percent. Additionally, Governor Healey recently announced 450 acres of state-owned sites are now available to be re-developed into over 3,500 new housing units, awarded $7.4 million to convert downtown Boston office buildings into nearly 200 new units, and launched the Momentum Fund to leverage low-cost capital with the expertise of private developers to accelerate the development of mixed-income housing. All told, there are approximately 10,000 new housing units in the pipeline because of Governor Healey’s initiatives.
“Renter-paid broker's fees have added to an up-front cost that can put moving into a new apartment out of reach for individuals and families even when they can afford the rent,” said Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus. “By eliminating these fees from what renters need to pay, Governor Healey delivers big on her promise to lower costs for Massachusetts residents.”
