Newton, Mass., City Ordinances §§ 20-148–20-159 § 20-148
Definitions
Operative Text
(a) Lodger: A person who occupies space for living and sleeping purposes without separate cooking facilities, paying rent, which may include an allowance for meals; and who is not a member of the housekeeping unit. Newton Ordinances On-Line - Chapter 20 - page 35 § 20-149 NEWTON ORDINANCES —MISCELLANEOUS ORDINANCES § 20-150 (b) Lodging House: Any dwelling designed, occupied, or intended for occupancy by 4 or more lodgers. Includes rooming house, boarding house. It shall not include convalescent, nursing or rest homes; group homes; dormitories of charitable, educational, or philanthropic institutions; fraternity houses; or hotels. State law reference – M.G.L. c. 140, §22, minus fraternity houses and dormitories of educational institutions (c) Rooming Unit: The room or group of rooms rented to an individual or household for use as living and sleeping quarters. (d) Enhanced Single Room Occupancy Units (E-SROs): Any Rooming Unit in a Lodging House that provides cooking facilities within the rooming unit. State law reference - M.G.L. c.140, §22A – cooking facilities
Section 20-148 of Newton's City Ordinances establishes the foundational definitions used throughout the lodging house regulatory framework. A 'Lodger' is someone who pays to occupy space for living and sleeping—without their own cooking facilities—and is not part of the host's household. A 'Lodging House' covers any dwelling housing four or more such lodgers, including rooming and boarding houses, but explicitly excludes facilities like nursing homes, group homes, and certain institutional dormitories. The section also distinguishes standard 'Rooming Units' from 'Enhanced Single Room Occupancy Units' (E-SROs), the latter being rooming units that include in-unit cooking facilities.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of properties that may fall under Newton's lodging house regulations should understand how § 20-148 classifies their property, since the definitions here determine which rules apply. A dwelling housing four or more paying occupants who lack separate cooking facilities generally qualifies as a Lodging House under this section, while units that do include cooking facilities are classified as E-SROs and may carry distinct regulatory obligations. Compliant operators typically ensure their property's classification is accurately identified before applying for permits or certifications under Newton, Mass., City Ordinances ch. 20 arts. VIII–IX.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants living in rooming or boarding houses in Newton benefit from understanding how § 20-148 defines their housing situation, since these definitions determine which protections and requirements apply to their living arrangement. Someone paying rent for a room without cooking facilities and who is not part of the landlord's household is classified as a 'Lodger,' while a unit that does include cooking facilities may qualify as an E-SRO with potentially different standards. Tenants who believe their housing is misclassified or that applicable standards are not being met can raise the definitions in § 20-148 when filing a complaint with the relevant city authority or when consulting a tenant-rights organization familiar with Newton's ordinances.
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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