iStock photo

It’s one measure of the seriousness of Massachusetts’ housing issues that the leader of the state Senate’s Republicans has joined a caucus co-led by a staunch supporter of rent control.

The Housing for All caucus, which held its first meeting Tuesday, has drawn 62 state senators and representatives representing districts from the Berkshires to Cape Cod. Organizers say it’s intended to create a forum to share information from perspectives across the political spectrum as the cost of housing continues to dominate voters’ concerns.

“I would describe it as ‘all hands on deck.’ We have a crisis and everyone has something to contribute,” said caucus co-chair Sen. Lydia Edwards (D-East Boston).

A recent MassINC Polling Group survey of nearly 1,000 Massachusetts residents found a combined 34 percent were most concerned about housing costs, homelessness, inflation or the cost of living – more than the 19 percent concerned about the economy, 15 percent worried about public safety or the 10 percent focused on taxes and government spending.

“We’re really grateful for the number of our colleagues that responded so enthusiastically,” Edwards’ fellow co-chair, state Rep Mike Connolly (D-Cambridge) said.

To join the caucus, legislators had to agree to a very broad set of principles; Edwards listed them as “housing is a human right,” “obliterate housing discrimination in all its forms,” “give cities and towns the tools to save their housing stock” and “work with the governor and a future housing secretary to come up with executive actions” the administration can take to improve the way the state’s housing systems function. A press release Connolly’s office issued also noted that caucus members were interested in pursuing ideas around “homelessness prevention, tenant protections, support for first-time homebuyers, affordable housing production, zoning reform, revenue to support local affordability, anti-discrimination, and civil rights.” Membership includes Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester).

“For me, personally, I have a very specific set of housing policy goals but I set that aside to put energy into creating this venue for where colleagues can have more dialogue and have more understanding,” said Connolly, a prominent backer of policies like rent control that are strongly opposed by the real estate lobby.

Edwards said she hopes the caucus will function as a “think space,” but won’t supplant the policy work done by the existing Joint Committee on Housing.

“We are going to have guest speakers who can give us the good bad and the ugly about a transfer fee. Or about tiny houses, do they work? Can we start a tiny house loan program? That kind of creativity is going to be vital” in addressing housing issues, she said.

The caucus plans to meet monthly.