🎯 STRisker: Bulletin - Chatham, MA
Unregistered Short-Term Rentals Now Face $200 Daily Fines in Chatham
From Fees to Fines: Chatham’s STR Crackdown Hits Phase Two
Think of it as Chatham’s great Airbnb audit. A year after launching its registration and inspection program, the town has more than 900 short-term rentals on the books — but it’s the holdouts who are making headlines now. Under a health board regulation, unregistered STRs face $200 per day in fines, and town staff have begun levying penalties.
Short-Term Rental Inspector Karen Chimwaza has been the face of the operation, logging over 275 inspections in the past year. Most fixes were minor — like adding smoke detectors or addressing basement egress — and cooperation has been high. “I think that’s pretty good for one full year,” Chimwaza said.
But at an August 18 hearing, officials began considering fines for six unregistered properties. Since then, several owners have scrambled to register, while one New Hampshire-based landlord amassed $6,000 in penalties before realizing he was out of compliance. Officials are weighing whether to waive or reduce fines in such cases, but Health Board member John Beckley noted the town should at least recover its costs.
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Chatham officials launched the STR program after years of complaints about overcrowded rentals, septic strain, and homes being marketed like hotels without oversight. The $50 registration fee offsets enforcement costs, while state and county room taxes help fund local water protection projects.
With about 15 more unregistered STRs waiting in the enforcement queue, the town is moving slowly to keep the process manageable. “We’re starting with small batches so we don’t overwhelm the board,” Giorgio said. Real estate agents are now on notice, and even renters have tipped off the town about unregistered properties.
✨ Key Takeaways:
- $200/day fines now active for STR scofflaws
- 900+ STRs registered; 15 more in the enforcement pipeline
- $50 registration fee funds inspections and enforcement
- State and county taxes applied to STRs since 2019
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