Councilors Oppose Condo Bill

Two city councilors have said a proposed state Senate bill would cripple Cambridge's comprehensive rent control policy.

In a resolution introduced at Monday's city council meeting, Councilors Saundra Graham and David E. Sullivan called on the city to work to defeat the bill which is currentyly under consideration by the Housing and Urban Development Committee.

The bill, sponsored by scn. Michael LoPresti Kr. (D-Roston), prohibits local laws which restrict apartment owners right to occupy or well their properly.

The bill would destroy Cambridge's condominium conversion law, "Sullivan said yesterday. This law requires approval from the Rent Control Board for owner occupancy and the sale of rental unit.

According to Sullivan, it is this law which insures compliance with rent control.

While Somerville and Brookline have laws similar to Cambridge's Sullivan said he thinks the bill was aimed at Cambridge, where condominiums are selling for an average price of $80,000. A one-bedroom, rent-controlled unit rents for about $350 per month, Sullivan said.

He added that the resolution, which will be debated at next Monday's city council meeting, "strongly condemns (Senate Bill) 2142 as an outright attack on teas of thousands of low and moderate income and elderly tenants in Cambridge and elsewhere."

But LoPresti contends that the bill would only affect 800 units currently under rent control.

"That's just wrong," said Sullivan about LoPresti's estimate of the bill's impact. "Whether is authors intended it to or not, the bill would apply to every unit in the city."

When asked whether the bill would deplete the supply of rent controlled housing in the city LoPresti said "well, by definition [it would]."

The Senate's Housing and Urban Development Committee last week held a hearing on the bill and will vote on it in the coming months. According to Sullivan, who has lobbied several committee members, the vote promises to be close.