Somerville, Mass., Code of Ordinances ch. 7, art. VI (2026) § 7-137
Required findings
Operative Text
The written decision to grant, grant with modifications, or deny a request for reasonable accommodation shall be consistent with fair housing laws and based on the following factors: (a) Whether the housing, which is the subject of the request for reasonable accommodation, will be used by an individual with disabilities protected under fair housing laws; (b) Whether the requested accommodation is necessary to make housing available to an individual with disabilities protected under the fair housing laws; (c) Whether the requested accommodation would impose an undue financial or administrative burden on the jurisdiction and; (d) Whether the requested accommodation would require a fundamental alteration in the nature of the jurisdiction’s land use and zoning or building program. ( Ord. No. 2011-09 , 10-13-2011 )
Section 7-137 of the Somerville Code of Ordinances ch. 7, art. VI establishes the criteria that must guide any written decision on a reasonable accommodation request related to housing. Decision-makers must weigh whether the person requesting accommodation has a qualifying disability under fair housing laws, whether the accommodation is genuinely necessary to make housing accessible to that person, and whether granting it would impose an undue burden or require a fundamental change to the jurisdiction's land use and zoning or building programs. The rule ensures that approvals, conditional approvals, and denials are all grounded in these specific, fair-housing-aligned factors rather than discretionary judgment alone.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Somerville Code ch. 7, art. VI § 7-137, property owners and managers who participate in or interact with the jurisdiction's reasonable accommodation process should be aware that any written decision on such a request is evaluated against a defined set of findings. Compliant operators typically document how a requested accommodation relates to a resident's disability status, assess whether the accommodation is necessary for equal housing access, and consider whether it would create an undue financial or administrative burden. Maintaining clear records of how each factor was considered helps demonstrate that decisions align with the fair housing standards the provision requires.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 7-137 of Somerville Code ch. 7, art. VI gives tenants with disabilities a framework for understanding how their reasonable accommodation requests must be evaluated. A written decision—whether an approval, a conditional approval, or a denial—must be based on the four enumerated factors, including whether the accommodation is necessary for equal housing access and whether it imposes an undue burden. Tenants who believe a decision did not properly apply these required findings may explore options such as raising the issue with a local fair housing organization, filing a complaint with a relevant fair housing agency, or consulting a tenant-rights resource for guidance on next steps.
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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