Springfield, Mass., Code of Bylaws ch 238 § 238-2

As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated: BOOKING AGENT Any person or entity that facilitates reservations of or collects payment for a short-term rental on behalf of or for an operator for a fee. COMMISSIONER The City of Springfield's Code Enforcement Director and Building Commissioner. DIRECTOR The Director of the Office of Housing or his or her designee. HOME SHARE UNIT A residential unit offered as a short-term rental that is the operator's primary residence. LIMITED SHARE UNIT A residential unit that is the operator's primary residence, a portion of which is offered as a short-term rental while the operator is present. One bedroom must be reserved for the operator. OPERATOR Any natural person who: (i) is the owner of a residential unit, (ii) is an owner of a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, or any other entity that owns a residential unit, or (iii) is the beneficiary or trustee of a trust or similar instrument which owns a residential units and that seeks to offer said residential unit as a short-term rental. Only one owner is allowed to register as an operator under this chapter, and it shall be unlawful for any other person, even if that person is an owner and meets the qualifications of a primary resident, to offer a residential unit for short-term residential rental. OWNER-ADJACENT UNIT A residential unit offered as a short-term rental that is not the owner's primary residence, but that is located within the same dwelling as the primary residence of, and is owned by, said owner; provided that owner-adjacent units used as short-term rentals shall only be allowed in two-family or three-family dwellings, where all units are owned by the same unique owner-occupant, who serves as the operator; provided further that, for the purposed of owner-occupied three-family residential dwellings, in addition to the unit in which they reside and use as a home share or limited share unit, an operator or an owner of an owner-adjacent unit may only register and use one owner-adjacent unit as a short-term rental. PRIMARY RESIDENCE A residential unit in which an operator resides for at least nine months out of a twelve-month period. Primary residence shall be demonstrated by showing that as of the date of the registration of the residential unit with City as a short-term rental, the operator has resided in said residential unit for nine of the past 12 months or that the operator intends to reside in the residential unit for nine of the next 12 months, in accordance with the proof of primary residence requirements set forth below. PROOF OF PRIMARY RESIDENCE A copy of a driver's license or state-issued identification, as well as one other document showing residency at the residential unit for the short-term rental (e.g., utility bill, cable bill, or motor vehicle registration). REGISTRATION NUMBER An identification number assigned to a single residential unit registered as a short-term rental. Said numbers shall be valid for the calendar year during which they were assigned (January 1 through December 31), and shall be associated with both a single residential unit and a single operator. The residential number must be included on any listing or advertisement offering the unit as a short-term rental. RESIDENTIAL UNIT A dwelling unit within a dwelling classified under the Building Code ("Code") as residential use, as those terms are defined in the Code, but excluding: a congregate living complex, elderly housing, group residence, homeless shelter, orphanage, temporary dwelling structure, and transitional housing. This term shall not include a hotel, motel or any other nonresidential use. SHORT-TERM RENTAL(S) The use of a residential unit for residential occupancy by a person or persons for a period of fewer than 31 consecutive calendar days, in exchange for a fee, compensation, or payment of any kind. Such a rental may or may not be facilitated through the use of a booking agent. Such a rental not include or impact month-to-month leases or tenancies at will.