Medford, MA Accessory Structures: ADU Rental Restrictions (2026)

Section 94-8.2.3(6) of the Revised Ordinances provides that "where the accessory dwelling unit or the principal dwelling is occupied as a rental unit, the minimum occupancy or rental term shall be 30 days," one of the conditions the Community Development Board attaches to every accessory dwelling unit special permit under Section 94-8.2.2. The rule reaches both halves of an ADU property: if the owner moves out of the main house and rents it while living in the accessory unit, or rents the accessory unit while occupying the house, either lease has to run at least 30 days.

That floor keeps ADU properties out of the nightly and weekend short-term rental market that Section 94-8.4 separately regulates for other dwellings, and it dovetails with the owner-occupancy affidavit in Section 94-8.2.3(2): because one of the two units must stay owner-occupied except for a bona fide temporary absence, only one unit can typically be rented at a time, and that rental cannot be shorter than a month. The Community Development Board reviews compliance with this condition, along with the plot plan, parking and size limits, before issuing or renewing the special permit under Section 94-8.2.4.