A new state law that goes into effect on Sunday allows homeowners to construct accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on a residential property almost anywhere in Massachusetts.
The new regulations, part of the $5.1 billion housing bond bill signed into law by Gov. Maura Healey last year, allow ADUs by right in any area zoned for single-family housing. This means property owners can add the smaller, secondary homes, sometimes known as “granny flats” or “in-law apartments,” without having to seek a special permit or other zoning relief.
The law prohibits any city or town from restricting or regulating ADUs in any “unreasonable” way that would not also apply to a single-family home built on the same property. For example, design standards and lot size requirements cannot be more restrictive than those for a single-family home.
Towns can regulate whether ADUs can be used as short-term rentals, such as through platforms like Airbnb or VRBO, but only if they also regulate short-term rentals in single-family houses.
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