Lexington, Mass., Code of Bylaws ch 144 § 144-6
Rental agreement extensions (Lexington Condominium Conversion Board)
Operative Text
Pursuant to § 144-5F(2)(b) , the Board may grant an eviction license on the condition that the applicant extend the applicable rental agreement for a period of time not less than one year or for any other period of time to which the tenant is entitled under the provision of any other law, court decision, regulation, or by-law, but not for more than a period of five years from the date of the application for the eviction license. In connection with any such extension, the provisions of such a rental agreement may not otherwise be modified, except with respect to the amount of annual rent, any increase in which shall not exceed an amount equal to the sum which would result by multiplying said rent by the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers as published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, during the calendar year immediately preceding the date upon which such rental agreement is commenced, or 10%, whichever is less. This restriction, however, shall not limit the right of an owner or purchaser to any reasonable amounts which may be due under a valid tax escalation clause in the rental agreement.
Under Lexington, Mass., Code of Bylaws CH. 144 § 144-6, when the Lexington Board grants an eviction license under certain conditions, it may require the landlord to extend the existing rental agreement for at least one year and up to five years from the date of the eviction license application. During any such court-ordered extension, the terms of the rental agreement generally cannot be changed, except that annual rent increases are capped at either the prior calendar year's Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers (CPI-U) percentage or 10%, whichever is lower. A valid tax escalation clause in the rental agreement is not affected by this rent-increase restriction.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under CH. 144 § 144-6, operators who receive a conditional eviction license from the Board should be prepared to extend the tenant's rental agreement for the period specified — at minimum one year, and potentially up to five years. During the extension period, compliant operators generally keep all lease terms intact except for annual rent adjustments, which are benchmarked to the prior year's CPI-U or capped at 10%, whichever figure is smaller. Operators with a valid tax escalation clause in the existing rental agreement may still apply that clause, as § 144-6 expressly preserves that right.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
CH. 144 § 144-6 provides that when the Board conditions an eviction license on a rental agreement extension, tenants are entitled to remain under substantially the same lease terms for the duration of that extension — which can range from one year up to five years. Any rent increase during the extension period is limited to the lesser of the prior year's CPI-U percentage change or 10%, which tenants can reference if a proposed increase appears to exceed that threshold. Tenants who believe their landlord is not honoring the conditions set under § 144-6 may consider contacting the Lexington Board directly, consulting a tenant-rights organization, or exploring whether the violation can be raised as a defense in any related proceeding.
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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