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H1484 • 2025

An Act relative to accessory dwelling units

An Act relative to accessory dwelling units

Housing
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Mark J. Cusack
Last action
2025-11-20
Official status
Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act relative to accessory dwelling units

An Act relative to accessory dwelling units By Representative Cusack of Braintree, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act relative to accessory dwelling units By Representative Cusack of Braintree, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 1484) of Mark J.
  • Cusack relative to accessory dwelling units.
  • Housing.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-11-20 House

    Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means

  2. 2025-09-17 Joint

    Hearing rescheduled to 09/17/2025 from 09:00 AM-11:30 AM in B-1 Hearing updated to New End Time

  3. 2025-09-16 Joint

    Hearing rescheduled to 09/17/2025 from 09:00 AM-01:00 PM in B-1 Hearing location changed

  4. 2025-09-04 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 09/17/2025 from 09:00 AM-01:00 PM in A-2

  5. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on Housing

  6. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

Official Summary Text

An Act relative to accessory dwelling units
By Representative Cusack of Braintree, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1484) of Mark J. Cusack relative to accessory dwelling units. Housing.
Status:
Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
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Bill H.1484

SECTION 1. Section 3 of said chapter 40A, as so appearing in the 2024 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking the eleventh paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-

No zoning ordinance or by-law shall prohibit, unreasonably restrict or require a special permit or other discretionary zoning approval for the use of land or structures for a single accessory dwelling unit, or the rental thereof, in a single-family residential zoning district; provided, that the use of land or structures for such accessory dwelling unit under this paragraph may be subject to reasonable regulations, including, but not limited to, 310 CMR 15.000 et seq., if applicable, site plan review, regulations concerning dimensional setbacks and the bulk and height of structures and may be subject to restrictions and prohibitions on short-term rental, as defined in section 1 of chapter 64G. Any city or town may, by local option, require owner occupancy of either the accessory dwelling unit or the principal dwelling unit under this paragraph; provided, that not more than 1 additional parking space shall be required for an accessory dwelling unit; and provided further, that no additional parking space shall be required for an accessory dwelling located not more than 0.5 miles from a commuter rail station, subway station, ferry terminal or bus station. For more than 1 accessory dwelling unit, or rental thereof, in a single-family residential zoning district there shall be a special permit for the use of land or structures for an accessory dwelling unit. The executive office of housing and livable communities may issue guidelines or promulgate regulations to administer this paragraph

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