North Adams, Mass., Code of Bylaws ch 26 § 26-4
Standards for adjusting rents (North Adams Mobile Home Park Rent Control, Board)
Operative Text
[Ord. of 9-15-1982 , § 1; Ord. of 9-28-2011 ] (a) The board may make individual or general adjustments, either upward or downward, as may be necessary to ensure that rents for mobile home park accommodations are established at levels which yield to owners a fair net operating income for such units. (b) Fair net operating income shall be that income which will yield a return after all reasonable operating expenses, on the fair market value of the property, equal to the debt service rate generally available from institutional first mortgage lenders or such other rates of return as the board, on the basis of evidence presented before it, deems more appropriate to the circumstances of the case. (c) Fair market value shall be assessed valuation of the property or such other valuation as the board, on the basis of evidence presented before it, deems more appropriate to the circumstances of the case. (d) No rent adjustment shall be effective without the prior approval of the board. (e) In the event that an owner makes application to the Board for a rent adjustment, the owner shall pay to the City of North Adams a processing fee for its application in the amount of $500.
North Adams, Mass., Code of Bylaws CH. 26 § 26-4 establishes the framework by which the local rent board may raise or lower rents for mobile home park accommodations. The board uses a 'fair net operating income' standard—essentially, a return on the property's fair market value comparable to prevailing mortgage lending rates—to determine whether a rent level is appropriate. No rent change takes effect unless the board has approved it in advance, and any owner seeking an adjustment must submit a $500 processing fee to the City of North Adams along with the application.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under CH. 26 § 26-4, mobile home park owners in North Adams who wish to change rents must first apply to the board and pay a $500 processing fee before any adjustment becomes effective. A compliant operator typically documents reasonable operating expenses and supports claims about fair market value with evidence presented to the board, since the board may accept alternative valuations or rates of return when the evidence warrants. Owners generally keep records that demonstrate how proposed rent levels align with the fair net operating income standard the board applies.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
CH. 26 § 26-4 gives the North Adams rent board authority to adjust rents downward as well as upward, meaning tenants in mobile home parks have a regulatory body they can look to if they believe a rent level does not meet the ordinance's standards. Because no rent adjustment is valid without prior board approval, a tenant who receives notice of a rent increase may have grounds to raise the lack of board approval as a relevant issue. Tenants can review board decisions, attend public proceedings, or contact a local tenant-rights organization to better understand how the fair net operating income standard may apply to their situation.
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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