H4695 — An Act to expand housing opportunities through homesharing

Summary

An Act to expand housing opportunities through homesharing

Bill Text

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The bill establishes a new chapter in the General Laws to regulate homesharing arrangements, including definitions, legal usage, a homesharing program, and insurance requirements.

• Chapter 186

  CHAPTER 186B.  Homesharing Section 1. “EOHLC”, the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts “Homesharing agreement”, a written agreement between the homesharing provider and the homesharer containing all terms, conditions, obligations and covenants of the homesharing occupancy at the homesharing property. “Homesharing occupancy”, the use or occupancy or the right to use or occupy a room in a homesharing property pursuant to the homesharing agreement, including the right to use the common areas of the homesharing property including fixtures, furniture and equipment located in, on or about the common areas of the homesharing property. “Homesharing provider”, a person who owns and occupies the homesharing property. “Homesharing property”, an owner-occupied property including, but not limited to, an apartment, house, cottage, condominium or a furnished accommodation that is not a short-term rental, hotel, motel, lodging house or bed and breakfast establishment, where: (i) at least 1 room or designated space is rented to a homesharer; and (ii) below-market rate rent is offered in exchange for use and/or domestic services. “Homesharer”, a person who uses, occupies or has a right to use or occupy a room or designated space in a homesharing property pursuant to a Homesharing agreement.

  This addition establishes a legal framework for homesharing, defining critical terms and relationships between parties involved.

• Chapter 186

  Section 2.  Homesharing occupancy shall be a legally permissible residential use of a homesharing property. There shall be a voluntary homesharing program under the EOHLC to allow for homesharing occupancy.  The program and regulations shall be established and overseen by the EOHLC, but may be administered through a contracted third-party provider.  The EOHLC shall establish a homesharing program fee to be paid by the homesharing provider to fund the homesharing opportunity relief fund established in section 3.

  This section legalizes homesharing occupancy and creates a framework for a homesharing program overseen by the EOHLC.

• Chapter 186

  Section 3. There shall be a separate fund known as the Homesharing Opportunity Relief Fund.  There shall be credited to the fund revenue from appropriations or other money authorized by the general court and specifically designated to be credited to the fund, including revenues received from the registration of homesharing households as established by the EOHLC.

  This establishes a fund to support homesharing providers and homesharers in case of issues arising from agreements.

• Chapter 186

  Section 4. The EOHLC shall promulgate regulations, in accordance with section 2 of chapter 30A, for the implementation and enforcement of the homesharing program that are necessary to ensure program safety and oversight.

  This mandates the EOHLC to create regulations for overseeing the homesharing program.

• Chapter 175, Section 4H

  Section 4I.  (a)  As used in this section, the terms “homesharer,”  “homesharing provider” and “homesharing property” shall have the same meanings as Chapter 186B unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

  This ensures consistent definitions for homesharing terms in Chapter 175.

• Chapter 175, Section 4H

  (b)  A homesharing provider shall maintain a homesharing insurance rider with property and liability and, coverage for any services provided by the homesharer, or guests of the homesharer, insurance of not less than $1,000,000 to cover the homesharing property, unless homesharing provider already maintains equal or greater coverage.

  This introduces a requirement for homesharing providers to obtain specific insurance coverage.

• Chapter 175, Section 4H

  (c) A homesharer shall maintain a renter’s insurance policy including both personal property protection and liability of not less than $100,000.

  This mandates that homesharers carry renter’s insurance to protect their belongings and liability.

Sponsors

• Joint Committee on Housing · Primary

Subjects