Council President Miller says the failed veto override blocked protections for working families

Providence City Council President Rachel Miller said she was profoundly disappointed that Mayor Brett Smiley and a small minority of councilors sided with developers and corporate landlords over renters. She said nine of the council's fifteen members supported rent stabilization and that, until a later effort succeeds, landlords in Providence can still raise rents by unlimited amounts for any reason.

“I’m profoundly disappointed that Mayor Smiley and a small minority of the City Council chose to side with developers and corporate landlords over Providence renters. With nine out of fifteen city councilors defying big-money special interests to support rent stabilization, it’s clear the grip the real estate lobby has over City Hall is slipping. But tonight, that grip was still strong enough to block much-needed protections for working families. Until the next effort succeeds, the unfortunate reality remains: in Providence, it is still legal for a landlord to raise rent by unlimited amounts, for any reason.”