Boston Municipal Code ch. 10-2 § 10-2.13
Permits for Removal of Mobile Home Accommodations in Mobile Home Parks
Operative Text
(A) Removal permits required . (1) It shall be unlawful for an owner of a mobile home park to remove any mobile home accommodation in a mobile home park or discontinue the use of part or all of the land owned and licensed as a mobile home park without having first obtained a mobile home removal permit from the Rent Equity Board subject to the provision contained herein. (2) Such provisions shall apply whether or not the license for such premises is still in effect. The Board may establish reasonable regulations governing the criteria and the procedures to be followed regarding application for and issuance of mobile home removal permits. (B) Permit criteria . In determining whether to grant a removal permit, the Board shall consider the aggravation of the shortage of safe, decent and affordable mobile home park accommodations in Boston, which may result from the discontinuance of use as a mobile home park, especially for tenants of low or moderate income or elderly persons on fixed incomes. In making such a determination the Board shall review and make findings as to all relevant factors including, without limitation, the following: (1) The benefits and detriments to the persons whom this Subsection seeks to protect; (2) The hardships imposed on the tenant(s) residing in the controlled or decontrolled unit proposed to be removed; (3) Circumstances demonstrating hardship and inequity to the applicant seeking a mobile home removal permit; and (4) The rate of vacancy in the city at the time the applicant applies for a mobile home removal permit. (C) Removal procedure . (1) The Board shall consider an application for a mobile home removal permit for a mobile home park upon receipt of an application filed by the landlord or other authorized person. (2) The Board shall schedule a public hearing within 60 days of receipt of the application. The Board shall notify the applicant and all residents of the mobile home park of the hearing. (3) The mobile home removal permit hearings shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of M.G.L. Chapter 30A, Section 11 except that requirements (7) and (8) of such Section 11 shall not apply to such hearings. (4) The provisions of Section Five (ii), (iii) and (iv) of Chapter 6, the Ordinances of 1987 shall apply to such hearings. (CBC 1985 10-2.13; Ord. 1987 c. 12 § 13; Ord. 1988 c. 9 § 9) Penalty, see Subsection 10-2.17 Editor’s note: Chapter 6 of the Ordinances of 1987, Section 5, is codified as Subsection 10-2.12.
Boston Municipal Code ch. 10-2 § 10-2.13 establishes that a mobile home park owner cannot remove a mobile home accommodation or take any portion of a licensed mobile home park out of that use without first securing a removal permit from the Rent Equity Board. The Board evaluates permit applications by weighing factors such as the impact on Boston's supply of affordable mobile home accommodations, hardships on current residents—particularly those with low or moderate incomes or elderly tenants on fixed incomes—and any hardship claimed by the applicant. Once an application is filed, the Board must schedule a public hearing within 60 days and notify both the applicant and all park residents, with the hearing conducted under the procedural framework of M.G.L. Chapter 30A, Section 11 (with limited exceptions).
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Boston Municipal Code ch. 10-2 § 10-2.13, a compliant mobile home park owner files a removal permit application with the Rent Equity Board before taking any steps to remove accommodations or discontinue use of the licensed park land—regardless of whether the park's operating license remains active. Operators generally document the relevant factors the Board is required to weigh, including vacancy rates citywide and any hardship or inequity specific to their circumstances, and submit that information as part of the application. Because the Board will notify all park residents and hold a public hearing within 60 days, owners typically account for that timeline and resident-notification process when planning any proposed changes to the property.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Boston Municipal Code ch. 10-2 § 10-2.13 gives residents of a mobile home park the right to be formally notified of any removal permit hearing and to participate in the public process before the Rent Equity Board makes a decision. The Board is specifically required to consider the hardship that removal would impose on tenants, with particular attention to those with low or moderate incomes and elderly residents on fixed incomes, meaning residents have a recognized voice in the permit criteria. Tenants who believe a removal is proceeding without a proper permit, or who want to present their circumstances at a hearing, may contact the Boston Rent Equity Board directly or reach out to a local tenant-rights organization for information about how to engage with the process under § 10-2.13.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.