Great Barrington, Mass., Code of Bylaws ch 145 § 145-1
Purpose and intent (Great Barrington Short-Term Rental of Residential Properties)
Operative Text
Pursuant to the authority of MGL c. 64G, the Town establishes these regulations to balance private, neighborhood, and municipal interests. These regulations are intended to: A. Enable residents to earn extra money from their properties to better afford to live here, maintain their properties, and contribute to the community. B. Minimize public safety and health risks. C. Deter commercial interests from buying housing to use primarily as short-term rental businesses.
Great Barrington, Mass., Code of Bylaws CH. 145 § 145-1 establishes the town's short-term rental regulatory framework under the authority granted by Massachusetts General Law Chapter 64G. The provision sets out three guiding purposes: allowing residents to generate supplemental income from their properties, protecting public health and safety, and discouraging the conversion of residential housing into commercially operated short-term rental businesses. These stated intentions shape how all subsequent rules in Chapter 145 are meant to be interpreted and applied.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Chapter 145 § 145-1 signals that Great Barrington's short-term rental rules are designed with resident-operators in mind — those who use rental income to offset the costs of owning and maintaining a home they actually live in. Operators who align their practices with this resident-centered purpose — rather than running a portfolio of investment properties primarily as short-term rentals — are operating closer to the spirit the Town intended. Understanding this foundational purpose can help property owners interpret ambiguous provisions elsewhere in Chapter 145 in context.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 145-1 of Great Barrington's Code of Bylaws makes clear that the Town's short-term rental rules are partly aimed at preserving residential housing stock and preventing its wholesale conversion to commercial rental operations. Tenants and community members who believe a property in their neighborhood is being operated in a way that conflicts with these stated purposes may raise that concern with local officials or a tenant-rights organization familiar with Massachusetts housing law. Because CH. 145 § 145-1 articulates the intent behind the entire chapter, it can provide useful context when evaluating whether other provisions of the code are being followed.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 11, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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