Many of us have been eagerly awaiting state guidance on when Massachusetts businesses may start to reopen and how the state will be addressing short-term rentals and lodging more generally.  On April 28, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker formed the Reopening Advisory Board, comprised of representatives from the business community, public health officials, and municipal leaders from across the Commonwealth.  On May 18, a comprehensive plan on how to safely reopen the state was presented. 

While many items outside of Phase 1 remain uncertain or in TBD status, the PDF sheds light on the four-phase approach to reopening our state.  Key public health metrics will determine if and when it is appropriate to proceed through the four reopening phases.  The biggest outstanding question for our business, and for many of you, is clarity on rentals and lodging.  Short-term rentals (or rentals for less than 31 days) are currently slated to be included in phase 2 and are likely to reopen with restrictions.  Until that time, short-term rentals continue to be subject to the restrictions previously put in place by the Governor’s office. Though there is no strict timeline yet, if phase 1 goes well, phase 2 could begin as soon as June 8, 2020.