Rockport Adopts Community Impact Fee
At the annual town meeting last Saturday, Rockport voted to adopt two articles that will impose a 3% Community Impact Fee on short term rentals. NSAR mobilized its Rapid Response Team, which opposed both articles. Outreach was conducted to REALTORS ® who are Rockport residents to inform them of the issue and the reasons for opposition.
A Community Impact Fee is a tax applied to short term rentals (less than 31 days). 3% is the maximum percentage that can be implemented. Within Rockport the tax will apply to rentals that are either:
- “Professionally managed” (defined as 2 or more units in non-primary residences)
- Located within a two-family or three family primary residence
When a Community Impact Fee is adopted, at least thirty-five percent of the collected money must be dedicated to either affordable housing or local infrastructure projects. Rockport joined Gloucester and Swampscott as North Shore communities that have adopted the tax.