Newburyport, Mass., Code of Ordinances ch. 5, art. VIII (2026) § 5-254
Applicability
Operative Text
(a) Generally. The provisions of this article shall apply to any building or commonly owned contiguous collections of buildings whose total residential rental units consist of four (4) or more, and which is converted to the condominium or cooperative form of ownership subsequent to the enactment of this article, and shall be applicable to such housing accommodations converted to the condominium or cooperative form of ownership prior to the enactment of this article, except as provided in (b), below. (b) Exemptions. The provisions of this article shall not apply to rental housing units not yet constructed as of the date of enactment of this article, and shall not be applicable to any unit in a building or buildings converted to the condominium or cooperative forms of ownership for which, on or before the date of adoption of this article, a master deed has been recorded or articles of organization filed, and a deed or, in the case of a cooperative, a proprietary lease, conveying the unit to a bona fide purchaser for value who intends to occupy such unit as a principal residence has been recorded, in the case of such deed, in the county registry of deeds.
Newburyport Code of Ordinances ch. 5, art. VIII § 5-254 defines which residential properties fall under the condominium and cooperative conversion rules established by this article. Generally, the article covers buildings—or groups of commonly owned adjacent buildings—with four or more total residential rental units that are converted to condo or co-op ownership, including conversions that occurred before the article was enacted. However, two categories are exempt: units that had not yet been built when the article took effect, and individual units in buildings where, before the article's adoption, a master deed or articles of organization had already been recorded and a deed or proprietary lease had already been conveyed to a good-faith buyer intending to use the unit as a primary residence.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers subject to Newburyport Code of Ordinances ch. 5, art. VIII § 5-254 generally confirm at the outset whether their building meets the four-or-more-unit threshold and whether any planned or past conversion falls within the article's scope or its exemptions. Operators who completed a conversion before the article's enactment and can document a recorded master deed and a conveyed deed or proprietary lease to a bona fide principal-residence purchaser typically review those records carefully to determine whether the exemption applies. Maintaining clear documentation of the timing and nature of any conversion is a common practice for demonstrating compliance or exemption status under this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants living in buildings with four or more residential rental units that are being converted—or have been converted—to condominium or cooperative ownership in Newburyport should be aware that Newburyport Code of Ordinances ch. 5, art. VIII § 5-254 generally brings those conversions under the protections of this article. If a landlord claims an exemption based on pre-enactment recording of a master deed and conveyance to a bona fide purchaser, tenants can look into whether the documented evidence actually satisfies the conditions stated in subsection (b). Tenant-rights organizations and local housing offices can be useful resources for understanding whether a specific building's conversion history places it inside or outside the article's coverage.
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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