The bill amends several sections of Chapter 45-24 of the General Laws, which governs zoning ordinances, by introducing new definitions and provisions aimed at modernizing land use and development practices. A key addition is the definition of "co-living housing," which describes a specific residential development with units that provide independently rented and lockable living and sleeping spaces for exclusive use of an occupant, while requiring shared sanitary and/or food preparation facilities with other units. The bill stipulates that existing dwelling units cannot be converted into co-living housing unless authorized by a local zoning ordinance.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions for authorizing community living options such as co-living housing in areas serviced by transit and other services. It establishes co-living housing as a permitted use in zoning ordinances, particularly in adaptive reuse developments that meet applicable building and fire code requirements.

The bill is set to take effect on January 1, 2026, and aims to create more flexible and inclusive zoning regulations to meet diverse community housing needs.