Members of the West Street Neighborhood Association and Northampton Tenants Group, Smith College tenants, Smith students, alumni, staff and community supporters made up the gathering.
Reminder Publishing photo by Trent Levakis.
NORTHAMPTON — Tenants and advocates gathered outside the front gates of Smith College on Nov. 19 to demand that the college reverse rent hikes and honor prior agreements with tenants.
The group also highlighted the high cost of rent in the region during the scheduled press conference.
Members of the West Street Neighborhood Association and Northampton Tenants Group, and Smith College tenants, Smith students, alumni, staff, and community supporters made up the gathering.
Tenants pointed out that with a $2 billion endowment and extensive real estate holdings across the city, Smith College is one of the city’s dominant residential landlords. They currently own numerous multi-family buildings in the West Street neighborhood by the campus. West Street tenants say the college should honor an agreement made at least 20 years ago that stemmed from a city-run working group under former Mayor Clare Higgins. They argue that the college agreed to keep annual rent increases at reasonable and predictable levels for tenants in the West Street neighborhood.
Tenants organized through the West Street Neighborhood Association and the broader Northampton Tenants group are specifically calling on Smith College to roll back its June 2025 rent increases, return to the $25/year maximum increases, and address ongoing maintenance issues in the buildings.
“In July, a group of Northampton tenants and supporters started discussing unsustainable rent increases in rental housing owned by Smith College on West Street. Exorbitant rent increases are a trend reflected in neighborhoods across Northampton and the broader valley,” explained Eliza Menzel, a Smith alumna and intake paralegal with Heisler, Feldman and Ordorica, P.C.
Menzel said some tenants saw increases as much as $100-$150 in their monthly rent, and this gathering was a continued effort to shine light on the ongoing situation.
“We are hoping to build the pressure and get those rent increases rolled back,” said Menzel.
Residents say these increases have placed growing financial pressure on them and have undermined confidence in the college’s stewardship of its rental properties. Some tenants have reported a rent hike of more than 20% over the summer.
“These increases are destabilizing tenants, forcing many to leave and burdening those who remain. It’s additionally sobering to consider how Smith runs on the hard work of Northampton’s community members, but a growing number of them cannot afford to live in housing owned by their employer,” said Menzel.
Menzel said since June, tenants and Smith students have met with Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra as well as Smith senior staff members in good faith efforts to have the college uphold its previous agreement. Since then however, there has been no further discussions, which in turn has led to the organizing.
While tenants are seeking Smith to roll back its rent increases and maintain the $25 a year increase cap, they also wish to see the college commit to capping the annual increases at the same rate moving forward.
“As the largest and wealthiest landlord in Northampton, and a major player in the local economy, Smith can now set a good example by taking these tangible steps to prioritize affordable housing, tenant security and quality of life over profit,” Menzel added.
Suzanne Stillinger, a West Street tenant and Smith alumna working in early childhood education, said during the gathering that her rent makes up 40% of her income. She shared that since the latest increase, she has resorted to secondary jobs and donating plasma to make ends meet.
“Nobody is getting raises right now. Everything is more expensive, so when they raise my rent, I add another job,” explained Stillinger. “I challenge Smith College to do better to be a leader on affordable housing. I expect my college to walk the walk.”
Tenants also pointed out how their requests align with the city’s recently adopted resolution supporting rent stabilization, which received unanimous approval from the City Council and support from Sciarra.
In September, West Street Tenants held a rally in front of campus ahead of a resolution supporting state rental control laws. The resolution was in response to studies showing that median rent in the city increased by 28% between the five-year period of 2018 to 2023, and that 46% of all households in the city qualify for federal and state affordable housing programs.
The resolution supported a bill in the state legislature known as “An Act Enabling Cities and Towns to Stabilize Rents and Protect Tenants” that would legalize rent control in the state. State Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa and state Sen. Jo Comerford are co-sponsors of the bill.
City Council President Alex Jarret joined the gathering in support of tenants and spoke about the ongoing challenges in affordable housing seen in the community.
“The City Council and the mayor have taken a stand supporting rent stabilization legislation, and we also need to support the ballot initiative that’s currently underway. Smith can be a leader in supporting our community by honoring their past commitments and making a new one to make keep all their rents affordable,” said Jarret. “No one should be pushed out of their housing by a nonprofit with a large endowment. Smith relies on Northampton to thrive, and Northampton relies on Smith. Affordable, stable rents allow workers to stay here, plan for the future and know they are welcomed and supported by their community. So I call upon Smith to make a stable, affordable commitment to their renters and to Northampton.”
Also joining in solidarity alongside the West Street tenants were members of the Easthampton Tenants Union, as well as current Smith students.
Local tenant’s rights attorney Joe Feldman, who has lived in Northampton for over 30 years, joined the gathering as well and spoke in support of the West Street tenants’ efforts to raise awareness on the situation.
“Smith College has done some good things for the city, but let’s be clear, this is not a good thing what they’re doing now. They are raising rents in a thriving neighborhood when they promised that they wouldn’t. The inevitable result of that is people are going to be pushed out,” said Feldman.
Feldman added many of his clients who are low- and moderate-income tenants end up having very little to no choice in relocating when faced with unfair rent hikes since there is a general shortage on affordable housing available in the region.
“They’re saying we don’t care what happens to you, and that can’t be what Smith wants when they keep repeating to us residents in Northampton for the last 30 years that they want to be a good neighbor. That they want to be people who are right there with us for affordable housing. They currently own affordable housing that’s becoming unaffordable,” said Feldman. “People are being forced out. Smith needs to do something different. They need to be a good neighbor, They need to be part of the solution and not be the problem.”
