Stoneham, Mass., Bd. of Health Reg. ch. 20 art. XIV (eff. 2005) § 20-124
Exemptions
Operative Text
The following dwelling units shall be exempt from these Regulations:
Chapter 20 Board of Health
a. Dwelling units owned or managed by the Stoneham Housing Authority.
b. Any dwelling unit in a two or three family dwelling where the specific dwelling unit
is occupied by the owner of the property or an immediate family member of the
owner of the property. An “immediate family member” shall be limited to the spouse
of the owner or the parents, children, brothers or sisters of the owner or the owner’s
spouse.
Effective July, 2005.Section 20-124 of Stoneham's Housing Fitness Certificate regulations carves out two categories of dwelling units that are not subject to the certificate requirements. First, any unit owned or managed by the Stoneham Housing Authority falls outside the rules entirely. Second, in two- or three-family properties, a unit occupied by the owner or a closely defined set of family members—spouse, parents, children, or siblings of the owner or the owner's spouse—is also exempt from the regulations.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 20-124, landlords who own or manage properties through the Stoneham Housing Authority, or who personally occupy (or house an immediate family member in) a unit within a two- or three-family building, generally do not need to obtain a Housing Fitness Certificate for those specific units. Operators who believe they qualify for the owner-occupancy exemption should be prepared to document the family relationship, since the regulation defines 'immediate family member' narrowly. Units in the same building that are not owner-occupied or authority-managed would still fall under the broader certification requirements of Chapter 20, Article XIV.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 20-124 identifies which units are shielded from Stoneham's Housing Fitness Certificate rules, which can affect tenants' ability to invoke those protections. If a tenant believes their unit has been incorrectly classified as exempt—for example, if an owner-occupancy claim appears inaccurate—they may consider raising that question with the Stoneham Board of Health, which administers Chapter 20. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with Massachusetts local housing regulations can help tenants understand whether the exemption legitimately applies 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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