{"AmendmentNumber":"369","ParentBillNumber":"H5562","Bill":null,"Sponsor":{"Id":"AJS1","Name":"Adam J. Scanlon","Type":1,"Details":"https://malegislature.gov/api/GeneralCourts/194/LegislativeMembers/AJS1","ResponseDate":"2026-07-06T15:45:45.507"},"Category":null,"Action":"Consolidated","RollCall":[],"Title":"Access to Starter Homes","Branch":"House","RedraftNumber":null,"IsFurther":false,"GeneralCourtNumber":194,"Text":"Mr. Scanlon of North Attleborough moves to amend the bill in section 42, by striking out, in lines 496 to 498, inclusive, the definition of “Commercial conversion” and inserting in place thereof the following definition:\r\n\r\n““Commercial conversion”, the use of land or structures for the creation and operation of any of the following: (i) adaptive reuse; (ii) new construction of multifamily housing; (iii) new construction of mixed-use development; or (iv) the construction of small homes or cottage court developments.”\r\n\r\nAnd further amend the bill, in said section 42, by inserting, in line 507, after the definition of “Commuter rail station” the following definition:\r\n\r\n““Cottage court development”, a residential development consisting of small homes arranged around a shared common open space and established through individual lots, a condominium pursuant to chapter 183A or another form of ownership authorized by law.”\r\n\r\nAnd further amend the bill, in said section 42, by inserting, in line 524, after the definition of “Local contribution” the following definition:\r\n\r\n““Small home”, a self-contained housing unit, inclusive of sleeping, cooking and sanitary facilities, that maintains a separate entrance sufficient to meet the requirements of the state building code for safe egress, is not larger in gross floor area than 900 square feet and constitutes the principal dwelling on the lot.”\r\n\r\nAnd further amend the bill in said section 42 by inserting, in line 615, after the words “section 5” the following subsection:\r\n\r\n“(g) Notwithstanding any general or special law, ordinance or by-law to the contrary, commercial conversion as of right zoning established pursuant to this section shall allow the construction of small homes and cottage court developments on commercially zoned lots. A city or town may impose objective standards relating to public health, safety, utility service, stormwater management, landscaping and architectural design; provided, however, that such standards shall not unreasonably restrict or have the effect of prohibiting or making financially infeasible the construction of small homes or cottage court developments.”.\r\n"}