Eastham, Mass., Code of Bylaws ch 116 § 116-1

This bylaw is enacted pursuant to the Town's Home Rule Authority and the authority set forth in General Laws c. 43B and is intended to: A. Provide for an orderly process for identifying, registering, and regulating short-term rentals within the Town so as to ensure that such short-term rentals do not create or cause any nuisance conditions within the Town. B. Protect the time-honored tradition of home rentals in Eastham and preserve economic opportunities through short-term rentals for persons to keep their homes, now and into the future, so they may afford to live either full-time or part-time in Eastham. C. Avoid adverse impacts on the local economy stemming from a loss of existing short-term rental revenue, including rooms excise tax revenue and visitor spending. D. Prohibit additional corporate ownership and discourage investment-only ownership of residential properties for the exclusive purpose of operating them as short-term rentals rather than housing for either full-time or part-time residences. E. Reduce the neighborhood churn caused by numerous turnovers of occupancy of short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods. F. Limit the conversion of residential units to short-term rentals which has had the deleterious effect of removing residential units from the available year-round rental housing stock. G. Protect the existence of year-round residences and the quiet and peace of the Town by preventing unwarranted commercialization from encroaching therein, including commercialization caused by the misuse of single-family residences. Fractional ownership, interval and time share units have similar character as commercial hotels, motels, lodges, and other commercial occupancy uses due to their transient nature and multiple short-term occupancies. Such commercial or quasi-commercial use is inappropriate in residential areas due to the increased traffic generation and multiple occupancies disturbing the peace and quiet of residential neighborhoods.