🎯 STRisker: Bulletin - Sandwich, MA
New Rules, New Era: Sandwich Officially Greenlights Short-Term Rentals
Sandwich Says 'YES': A Fresh Start for Local Short-Term Rentals
Sandwich took a meaningful step toward modernizing its local housing rules on November 17, when voters at Special Town Meeting overwhelmingly approved a new short-term rental bylaw by a vote of 128 to 28.
In a move that residents have been anticipating since the topic resurfaced earlier this year, the town has now formally legalized short-term rentals, creating a clear and unified framework for how these properties can operate. For many homeowners, this vote provides clarity. For neighbors and town officials, it lays out guardrails and expectations that weren’t fully defined before.
The newly passed bylaw essentially brings short-term rentals under the umbrella of existing zoning and safety provisions, ensuring they are treated like other lodging uses while also recognizing their unique role in today’s housing market. What makes this bylaw notable is not just the legalization itself but the structure it creates: property owners will now need to comply with established safety standards, particularly those outlined in the Massachusetts State Building Code. This includes smoke detector requirements.
Government Websites by CivicPlus®
That amendment, if approved, would have loosened safety rules around smoke detector compliance. Voters rejected that idea, signaling that while they support the economic benefits and flexibility short-term rentals can bring, they expect owners to meet the same baseline safety obligations required of all Massachusetts dwellings.
STRisker Document Analysis
Finding the right compliance documents shouldn’t feel like searching for a needle in a haystack - STRisker’s Documents Analysis is built to simplify your life, offering instant access to hundreds of thousands of documents from thousands of cities across the US.
It’s also worth noting the procedural journey that led to this vote. The short-term rental bylaw was originally delayed at the Annual Town Meeting in May, pushed forward for further refinement and discussion. And once again, voters rejected a motion this November to postpone the decision, choosing instead to address the issue head-on.
Now that the bylaw is approved, town departments will begin incorporating short-term rentals into regular regulatory processes. Residents interested in operating rentals or tracking compliance should keep an eye on upcoming communications from the town regarding timelines, registration steps, and enforcement details.
For many communities across the Cape, STR rules have become hot-button issues, balancing tourism-driven revenue with neighborhood quality of life. With this vote, Sandwich has officially joined the roster of towns embracing a structured approach.
Stay Updated with STRisker
STRisker offers tools and features to keep you updated with the Short-Term Rental movement across the U.S.
👍 We’d love your feedback.
We're always looking for ways to improve Bulletins.
Was this one useful to you? Other topics you'd like to see get covered?
✉️ Just reply directly to this email. We read and respond to every message!
-Will McClure
🙋 P.S.
Know someone else who should be reading this Bulletin? Feel free to forward this along. We want to make sure operators and stakeholders are aware of regulatory changes in their area.