Somerville’s Building Sale Notice Requirement Takes Effect October 14

Finding out your home is up for sale shouldn’t come as a surprise. A new Somerville ordinance taking effect October 14, 2026, will require rental property owners to notify tenants in writing within 48 hours of putting their residence on the market.

Somerville’s Notice of Building Sale Ordinance establishes clear notification requirements so renters know when their home is being offered for sale and where to turn for housing support.

“Tenants shouldn’t be the last to know their home is for sale,” said Mayor Jake Wilson. “This ordinance gives renters an earlier opportunity to understand their options, connect with support, and plan for what comes next. More time crucially can mean more options for staying in the community they call home. Keeping Somerville a place where people can put down roots starts with looking out for our neighbors who already live here.”

Under the ordinance, property owners must notify every tenant within 48 hours of putting the residence on the market by taking both of the following steps: 

• Delivering the City’s Notice of Building Sale form either in person with a signed acknowledgment, or by certified mail. 
• Posting the form in a location where tenants can see it. 
• The notice must include the owner’s intent to sell, contact information, a description of the property, the asking price, and contact information for the City’s Office of Housing Stability (OHS).

“This Ordinance is about basic decency and fairness,”  said Ward Three City Councilor Ben Ewen-Campen. “We’ve also unfortunately learned through experience that it is necessary, so that Somerville residents aren’t caught unaware when their building is put up for sale.”

The required form and additional information will be available on the OHS website in October at somervillema.gov/OHS. Questions about the ordinance can be sent to buildingsale@somervillema.gov.

Tenants who learn their building is for sale but have not received a notice should contact OHS. Residents can request housing assistance online, calling OHS directly at 617-625-6600, ext. 2581, or dialing 311 and asking for OHS.

To view this update and more City news on the City website, visit somervillema.gov/news. 

ADA accommodations: Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should contact the ADA Coordinator in advance at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or ADA@somervillema.gov. 

Language access: The City of Somerville can provide you with an interpreter in your language for free. To request an interpreter, please contact us at languageaccess@somervillema.gov or call 311 (617-666-3311) at least 7 days in advance of this event.