Real estate group disavows condo law

he clear withholding of support for the proposed ordinance is a shift from an August press release from the city in which Gregory P. Vasil “commends” Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and said, “Many of the concerns that private property owners had with previous versions have now been addressed, and we believe that it should be a marked improvement over earlier drafts.”

Earlier this week, when asked by a reporter if the real estate board was supporting the measure, Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz said she believed they were. Gewirtz chaired the working group that worked for almost two years to revise the proposal.

“The Greater Boston Real Estate Board was a key player in the negotiations,” she said. “Their sign-off was very important to everyone involved. The task force would not have come forward if we were not all in agreement that this was good for Somerville.”

Vasil maintains that he never offered the endorsement of the board and said it is still possible the group may oppose it, depending on what happens when the plan is presented to the public.