Amesbury, Mass., Code of Bylaws ch 376 § 376-14
Criteria for qualification (Amesbury Rental Property)
Operative Text
Applicants shall qualify for the rental assistance under § 376-12 if all the following criteria are met: A. The applicant is domiciled as a primary residence in a qualifying property in Amesbury; B. The applicant or at least one of the joint applicants has been domiciled in a rental residence as a home in the City of Amesbury for at least five consecutive years preceding the filing of an application for the rental assistance credit; C. The applicant is a person who qualified and received the circuit breaker income tax credit the previous year under MGL c. 62, § 6(k); D. The applicant is at least age 65 or older at the close of the previous year or jointly by persons either of whom is age 65 or above at the close of the previous year and if the joint applicant is 60 years of age or older; and E. The Office of Community and Economic Development or designee(s) of the Mayor have approved the application.
Amesbury, Mass., Code of Bylaws CH. 376 § 376-14 sets out five cumulative eligibility requirements that must all be satisfied before a renter can receive the local rental assistance credit described in § 376-12. The applicant must live in a qualifying Amesbury property as a primary residence, have rented in Amesbury for at least five consecutive years before applying, have received the Massachusetts circuit breaker income tax credit the prior year, and be at least 65 years old (or be part of a qualifying joint application where one person is 65 or older and the other is at least 60). Final approval also rests with the Office of Community and Economic Development or a mayoral designee.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 376-14, the rental assistance credit program is administered on the tenant side, so landlords are not the applicants — but property owners whose units house eligible seniors should be aware that tenants may pursue this credit independently. A compliant operator generally ensures that the property qualifies under the program's definition of a 'qualifying property' and does not take actions that would interfere with a tenant's ability to establish or document their primary residency. Familiarity with § 376-14's criteria can help property managers respond accurately if asked to provide tenancy-duration records or other documentation a tenant may need for their application.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 376-14 of the Amesbury Code of Bylaws outlines every condition a renter must meet to be eligible for the local rental assistance credit, and all five criteria must be satisfied simultaneously — there is no partial qualification. Tenants who believe they meet the residency, age, and prior-year circuit breaker credit requirements can contact the Amesbury Office of Community and Economic Development, which holds approval authority under this section, to learn about the application process. Tenant-rights organizations or a housing counselor familiar with Massachusetts senior benefit programs can help applicants understand how § 376-14's criteria interact with the state circuit breaker credit under MGL c. 62, § 6(k).
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 11, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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