Somerville Code of Ordinances ch. 7, art. X § 7-253

(a) Registration requirement . All short-term rentals shall require a certificate of registration from ISD prior to short-term rental operation unless otherwise allowed in this article.

(b) Operator’s primary residence . A residential unit offered as a short-term rental shall be the operator’s primary residence.

(c) One party of renters . A residential unit offered as a short-term rental shall be rented to only one party of short-term renters at a time, not rented as separate bedrooms, beds, or spaces to separate parties.

(d) Number of short-term renters . A residential unit offered as a short-term rental shall be limited to ten guests, or two guests per guest bedroom, whichever is fewer.

(e) One listing per booking agent . A residential unit offered as a short-term rental shall not have more than one listing per booking agent associated with it.

(f) A residential unit offered as a short-term rental shall comply with all standards and regulations promulgated by the director .

(g) Short-term rental of a shared unit . An operator may offer a shared unit as a short-term rental 365 days per year. One bedroom in the unit shall be reserved for, and occupied by, the operator during the entire term of the rental.

(h) Short-term rental of an autonomous unit . Short-term rentals shall not exceed in the aggregate, 90 consecutive or nonconsecutive calendar days per year for autonomous units.

(i) Rental period and use . Renting for an hourly rate, or for rental durations of fewer than ten consecutive hours shall not be permitted. Commercial meetings and uses are prohibited in short-term rentals.

(j) No outstanding violations . The residential unit offered as a short-term rental shall not have any outstanding building, sanitary, zoning, or fire code violations, orders of abatement, or stop work orders, or other requirements, laws, or regulations that prohibit the operator from offering the residential unit as a short-term rental. If a violation or other order is issued after a certificate of registration is issued, upon notice of said violation or order, the director shall suspend the registration until the violation has been cured or otherwise resolved.

(k) Three or more violations in a six month period . Should a property receive three or more violations within a six month period under this section, or of any municipal ordinance, state law, or building code, any residential unit within the property shall be ineligible to be used as a short term rental for a period of six months from the third or subsequent violation. If a certificate of registration has been issued, it shall be suspended for the remainder of its term, or for six months, whichever is greater.

(l) Compliance and interaction with other laws . Operators shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and codes, including but not limited to the Fair Housing Act, G.L. c. 151B and local equivalents and regulations related thereto, and all other regulations applicable to residential dwellings.

(m) Retention of records . The operator shall retain and make available to ISD, upon written request, records to demonstrate compliance with this section, including but not limited to: records demonstrating the number of months that the operator has resided or will reside in residential unit, if applicable; records showing consent of the owner of the residential unit to the residential unit's use as a short-term rental, if applicable; and records demonstrating number of days per year that the residential unit is offered as a short-term rental. The operator shall retain such records for as long as they desire to use the residential unit as a short-term rental.

(n) Notifications . The operator shall post and maintain a sign on the inside of the short-term rental on the entry level, visible to and reasonably likely to be readily accessed by individuals utilizing the short-term rental, with the following information:

(1)

Instructions for the disposal of waste per the city’s recycling and trash programs;

(2) Information regarding the city’s parking regulations, including but not limited to visitor parking passes, street sweeping, and snow emergencies;

(3) The local noise ordinances of the city ;

(4) Contact information for the operator, or when the operator is not present, the contact information for a locally available contact designated to respond to all emergencies and problems that may arise during the rental period;

(5) The certificate of registration issued by ISD.

(o) Registration number in listing . The operator shall include the registration number issued by ISD on any listing offering the residential unit as a short-term rental.

(p) Link to listings . An operator who is issued a certificate of registration shall provide a link to the corresponding short-term-rental listing(s) to ISD.

( Ord. No. 2019-12 , 5-23-2019; Ord. No. 2023-01 , 1-26-2023 )