Somerville Code of Ordinances ch. 7, art. I § 7.2
Parking permit restriction notification
Operative Text
(a) Advertisement disclosure: A public communication or announcement, regardless of form, intended to promote the sale or rental of a dwelling unit shall disclose if the availability of parking permits is restricted pursuant to Section 11.2.6 of the Somerville Zoning Ordinances, Section 15-2.1(5) of the Somerville Traffic Regulations, special permit granting authority decision, or other applicable state or local law. (1) If a certificate of occupancy is required for a dwelling unit for which the availability of parking permits is restricted, the certificate of occupancy may not be issued until the owner or agent provides to the Inspectional Services and Parking Departments an affidavit certifying compliance with the requirements of §7-2(a). (b) Notification requirement: Prior to the execution or renewal of a rental or sale agreement for a dwelling unit for which the availability of parking permits is restricted, the owner of the dwelling unit or their agent shall provide written notification to a prospective buyer or tenant on a form prescribed by the Parking Department. The owner or agent shall provide notification regardless of eligibility for a waiver of restriction on the availability of parking permits. Any eligibility for a waiver of the parking permit restriction shall not impact this notification requirement. Both the owner or their agent, and the prospective buyer or tenant shall sign and date the notification. (1) An owner shall retain a copy of the signed notification for the duration of the tenancy, or for three years after the sale, of a unit and make the copy available to the city upon request. (c) Enforcement: The Inspectional Services and Parking Departments may enforce the provisions of this section. Each violation shall be deemed a separate offense and, in the case of a continuing violation, each day that a violation continues shall constitute a separate offense. Violation of any provision of this article shall be punished in accordance with § 1-11 . The city may institute other remedies to abate violations of this article, as permitted by law, in addition to the imposition of the penalties prescribed by § 1-11 .
Somerville Code of Ordinances ch. 7, art. I § 7.2 establishes two related obligations tied to dwelling units where parking permit availability is restricted under applicable zoning, traffic, or permit rules. First, any advertisement promoting the sale or rental of such a unit must disclose that parking permit availability is restricted. Second, before a rental or sale agreement is signed or renewed, the owner or their agent must provide the prospective tenant or buyer a written notification on a city-prescribed form — and both parties must sign and date it. Violations are treated as separate offenses for each day they continue, and enforcement authority rests with the Inspectional Services and Parking Departments.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators subject to Somerville Code of Ordinances ch. 7, art. I § 7.2 generally ensure that any listing, advertisement, or public announcement for a restricted-parking unit includes a clear disclosure of that restriction before the unit is marketed. Before executing or renewing any rental or sale agreement, a compliant owner or agent obtains the Parking Department's prescribed notification form, has both parties sign and date it, and retains a copy for the full duration of the tenancy or for three years after a sale — making it available to the city on request. Where a certificate of occupancy is required, compliant owners also file an affidavit with the Inspectional Services and Parking Departments confirming that the advertisement disclosure requirement has been met before the certificate is issued.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under Somerville Code of Ordinances ch. 7, art. I § 7.2, prospective tenants of units with restricted parking permit availability have a right to receive written notification of that restriction — on a form prescribed by the Parking Department — before signing or renewing any rental agreement, regardless of whether a waiver of the restriction might be available. If a tenant believes this notification was not provided, they may consider contacting the Somerville Inspectional Services or Parking Department, which are authorized to enforce this provision, or reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization for general guidance on available options. Keeping records of any communications or documents received at the time of signing can be useful context when exploring whether a violation of § 7.2 occurred.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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