An Act relative to owner occupancy requirement for accessory dwelling units
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Progress
Where this bill stands in the legislative process.
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Overview
This bill proposes to require that the owner of an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on a property also live in the primary dwelling unit. Currently, Massachusetts law allows for ADUs without requiring owner occupancy. This change aims to preserve the character of residential neighborhoods and potentially address concerns about ADU usage.
Key provisions
- Requires the owner of an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) to also reside in the primary dwelling unit.
- Applies to new ADUs and potentially existing ones, depending on future amendments.
- Does not appear to include exemptions for certain types of properties or ADUs.
- The bill was referred to the Municipalities and Regional Government committee.
- A hearing was scheduled for July 29, 2025, to discuss the potential impacts of the bill.
- The bill is related to other legislation concerning ADUs in Massachusetts.
- The bill was accompanied by a study order (H5065).
- The bill was amended to include a virtual hearing option.
Who is affected
- Homeowners
- Property developers
- Municipalities
- Residents of residential neighborhoods
- Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) owners
Notable changes
- Introduces an owner occupancy requirement for ADUs, a change from the current law.
Bill text
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Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
2 on record
Primary sponsor
Patrick Joseph Kearney
Cosponsor
Patrick Joseph Kearney
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