Providence Mayor Brett Smiley loses re-election over rent control veto

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley has lost his re-election bid in a primary following his decision to veto a rent control bill passed by the City Council in April. Smiley, who was elected in 2022 on a platform of increasing housing supply by relaxing zoning laws and reducing bureaucracy, saw a significant development boom during his tenure. In the latest fiscal year, the city added more apartments than in any year in the last two decades, with 40% designated as affordable housing.

However, Smiley’s opposition to rent control proved politically fatal in the progressive city. He lost the September primary to David Morales, a 27-year-old state lawmaker and member of the Democratic Socialists of America. Morales, who described the veto as “absolutely shameful,” is considered a frontrunner for the upcoming general election and has pledged to sign rent control legislation into law within his first 100 days in office.

The election highlights a growing tension between YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard) strategies focused on long-term supply increases and the immediate demand for rent protections among struggling tenants facing soaring housing costs.