Abington, Mass., Code of Bylaws ch 35 § 35-1

[Amended 6-6-2016 ATM by Art. 9] The Town of Abington, acting by and through its Town Meeting, finds and declares that a serious public emergency exists within the Town with respect to the availability and affordability of rental housing to citizens of said Town, particularly to elderly and persons with a disability and to families of low and moderate income; that this emergency results from the aggravated local impact of factors set forth in Chapter 527 of the Acts of 1983, most particularly from limited rental housing development, prolonged increases in sales and rental housing costs exceeding increases in personal income, the increased pressures on the Town's housing stock from the metropolitan housing market and the conversion of existing rental housing to more expensive condominiums or cooperative sales housing; that this rental housing shortage generates serious threats to the public health, safety, and general welfare of the citizens of the Town; that increased protection of the present tenants of rental housing and of future occupants of converted units requires local action including establishment of provisions protecting a greater portion of the rental housing stock, extending the effective conversion notice period, lessening tenant uncertainty regarding conversion plans, encouraging appropriate safety improvements to converted housing, and establishing a local permit system to regulate and oversee the conversion process; and that this Bylaw is accordingly adopted pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 527 of the Acts of 1983.