Did you know?

In 1961, The Brookline Planning Board released a public report asserting that the town’s zoning laws needed “comprehensive revision” and that many of its regulations, dating back to 1922, were “obsolete.” One of the most significant proposals for changing the bylaws was the insertion of a clause that would allow residents in single-family districts to rent out additional space in their homes. As the Board realized, this was already a common practice in the town, but up to this point, it was considered illegal. Realizing the injustice this caused to a great number of people, the Planning Board stated: 

“The present By-law does not allow lodging houses in single-family districts. Nor has the Town interpreted the renting of a room or two in a single-family district as an accessory use. This is felt to be both unrealistic and unnecessary. Many home-owners in Brookline are illegally renting one or two-rooms, whether for the income or for the comfort of having someone to help shovel snow and help with maintenance, without adverse effect upon the neighborhood. The new By-law allows the renting of one room, without separate cooking facilities, as an accessory use in any dwelling unit in any district.”

As is indicated by this statement, the drafters of Use 51 wanted to provide homeowners with companionship, financial security and assistance with daily tasks. More importantly, the drafters wanted older persons to comfortably age-in-place. Aging in place is a term used to describe a person living in the residence of their choice for as long as they are able, as they become older. This allows seniors to maintain continuity in their relationships and their environment. The drafters of Use 51 explicitly stated that this was their goal. They wrote, “for widows or older couples on limited incomes, taking in lodgers has been the only way to maintain the family home.” (emphasis added). But aging in place becomes significantly harder when short-term rentals are arbitrarily prohibited.