Williamstown, Mass., Code of Bylaws ch 12 § 12-4
Standards for adjusting rents (Williamstown Mobile Home Rent Control)
Operative Text
A. The Board may take individual or general adjustments, either upward or downward, as may be necessary to assure that rents for mobile home park accommodations are established on 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 proposed rent increase shall be effective without the prior approval of the Board. E. The Board may establish further standards and rules consistent with the foregoing.
Williamstown, Mass., Code of Bylaws CH. 12 § 12-4 establishes a framework under which a local Board can adjust mobile home park rents—either up or down—to ensure owners receive a "fair net operating income." That income is defined as a return on the property's fair market value, after reasonable operating expenses, benchmarked against prevailing institutional mortgage rates or another rate the Board finds appropriate. No rent increase in a covered mobile home park takes effect unless the Board has approved it in advance.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under CH. 12 § 12-4, operators of mobile home parks in Williamstown who wish to raise rents must obtain Board approval before any increase becomes effective. Compliant operators typically document their operating expenses, fair market value (often using assessed valuation), and the debt service rates available from institutional lenders to support a finding of fair net operating income. Owners may also present alternative valuation or rate-of-return evidence if they believe the standard benchmarks do not reflect their circumstances.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
CH. 12 § 12-4 gives mobile home park residents in Williamstown a meaningful protection: any proposed rent increase is legally ineffective unless the Board has approved it first. Tenants who receive notice of a rent increase may have grounds to challenge it before the Board if prior approval was not obtained or if the fair-net-operating-income standards were not properly applied. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with local rent board procedures can help residents understand how to participate in Board proceedings or raise a violation as a defense.
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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