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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2434 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3989
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Kip A. Diggs
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to designating seasonal communities.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Kip A. Diggs2nd Barnstable1/16/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2434 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3989
By Representative Diggs of Barnstable, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3989) of Kip
A. Diggs relative to seasonal community housing. Housing.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act relative to designating seasonal communities.
Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to
address seasonal community housing in the commonwealth, therefore it is hereby declared to be
an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Section 32 of chapter 23B of the General Laws, as appearing in section 5 of
2chapter 150 of the acts of 2024, is hereby amended by striking out subsection (b) and inserting in
3place thereof the following subsection:-
4 (b) The secretary may designate a municipality as a seasonal community; provided,
5however, that all municipalities located in the counties of Dukes, Nantucket, Barnstable and
6Berkshire shall receive such designation. The executive office may designate additional
7municipalities as seasonal communities based on consideration of the following factors: (i) a
8high rate of short-term rentals in relation to the overall housing inventory; (ii) a significant
9population increase in seasonal visitors; (iii) an excessive disparity between the area median
10income and the income required to purchase the municipality's median home price; (iv) the
11percentage of housing stock that is used for seasonal, occasional or recreational use or is 2 of 2
12otherwise not used as a primary residence by the property's owner; and (v) high variations in the
13average monthly variation of employment in the sector over the full year, in relation to the
14municipality's minimum employment threshold. A municipality designated by the executive
15office as a seasonal community pursuant to this section shall accept or deny the designation by
16vote of its legislative body. The secretary shall consult with the advisory council established in
17subsection (c) to review additional municipalities under consideration to receive the seasonal
18community designation. All municipalities designated as seasonal communities shall be eligible
19for all benefits, funding and regulatory adjustments for seasonal communities under this section.
20 SECTION 2. Said section 32 of said chapter 23B, as so added, is hereby further amended
21by adding the following subsection:-
22 (i) The executive office shall prepare an annual report: (i) identifying the benefits
23provided to the municipalities in Dukes, Nantucket, Barnstable and Berkshire counties as a result
24of the seasonal communities designation pursuant to subsection (b); (ii) monitoring housing and
25economic conditions in Dukes, Nantucket, Barnstable and Berkshire counties; and (iii) providing
26any recommendations and possible legislation for improvements to the seasonal community
27designation in this section. The annual report shall be submitted, not later than December 31 of
28each year, to the chairs of the joint committee on housing and the clerks of the house of
29representatives and senate.