CMA 2026-188 · Agenda item attachment · Jun 22 2026

SHORT-TERM RENTAL (STR) SURVEY RESULTS PREPARED BY: INSPECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT (ISD)

STR Survey Methods • Survey was sent via email to all registered short-term rental operators in the City and members of the Cambridge Condominium Alliance • ISD coordinated with the Communications team to distribute the survey across all city platforms and buildings. In addition, ISD had dedicated counter for members of the public to come in and ask questions and provide feedback • The survey was open from 12/17/25 to 1/26/26 • A total of 928 responses were received • The survey had up to 23 questions • Some questions were conditional meaning they would only be asked depending on an answer to a previous question (Ex: condo questions were only asked to those who identified as living in a condo association) • Questions were multiple choice, except for 3 write-in questions which allowed participants the ability to provide more feedback

909 19 1. Are you a Cambridge resident? Yes No Are you a Cambridge resident? # % Yes 909 98% No 19 2%

784 144 2. Do you own property in Cambridge? Yes No Do you own property in Cambridge? # % Yes 784 84% No 144 16%

431 353 3. Do you own a condo unit in Cambridge? Yes No Do you own a condo unit in Cambridge? # % Yes 431 55% No 353 45%

What best describes you? # % General Public 684 74% Short-Term Rental Operator 104 11% Neighbor of a Short- Term Rental 140 15% 684 104 140 4. What best describes you? General Public Short-Term Rental Operator Neighbor of a Short-Term Rental

What type of short-term rental do you have? # % Owner-Adjacent 39 38% Operator-Occupied (your own unit) 53 51% Both 12 12% 39 53 12 5. What type of short-term rental do you have? Owner-Adjacent Operator-Occupied (your own unit) Both

68 36 6. If you rent out a unit as a short-term rental, do you also rent it out long-term? (more than 30 days) No, when I rent out my unit, it is only as a short-term rental Yes, I rent out my unit as both a short-term rental and a long-term rental If you rent out a unit as a short-term rental, do you also rent it out long- term? (more than 30 days) # % No, when I rent out my unit, it is only as a short-term rental 68 65% Yes, I rent out my unit as both a short- term rental and a long-term rental 36 35%

759 169 7. Are you aware that short-term rentals are allowed in Cambridge in limited circumstances? Yes No Are you aware that short-term rentals are allowed in Cambridge in limited circumstances? # % Yes 759 82% No 169 18%

The number of short-term rentals in Cambridge are: # % About right 108 12% Too many 229 25% Too few 58 6% Not sure 533 57% 108 229 58 533 8. The number of short-term rentals in Cambridge are: About right Too many Too few Not sure

Has a short-term rental in your neighborhood caused you any hardships? # % Yes 182 20% No 523 56% Not sure/Not applicable 223 24% 182 523 223 9. Has a short-term rental in your neighborhood caused you any hardships? Yes No Not sure/Not applicable

Has a short-term rental in your neighborhood provided you or your neighborhood any benefit? # % Yes 173 19% No 407 44% Not sure/Not applicable 348 38% 173 407 348 10. Has a short-term rental in your neighborhood provided you or your neighborhood any benefit? Yes No Not sure/Not applicable

185 743 11. Are you aware of how to submit a complaint about a short-term rental? Yes No Are you aware of how to submit a complaint about a short-term rental? # % Yes 185 20% No 743 80%

167 761 12. Do you know how to see if a short-term rental is registered with the city? Yes No Do you know how to see if a short-term rental is registered with the city? # % Yes 167 18% No 761 82%

543 385 13. Would you like to see any limitations on the number of days an entire short-term rental unit can be rented as a whole? Yes No Would you like to see any limitations on the number of days an entire short-term rental unit can be rented as a whole? # % Yes 543 59% No 385 41%

127 101 315 14. What type of limitation would you like to see? Limit the number of days an entire operator-occupied unit can be rented as a whole Limit the number of days an owner-adjacent unit can be rented as a whole Both What type of limitation would you like to see? # % Limit the number of days an entire operator-occupied unit can be rented as a whole 127 23% Limit the number of days an owner- adjacent unit can be rented as a whole 101 19% Both 315 58%

437 247 Would you like to see any limitations on the number of days an entire short-term rental unit can be rented as a whole? Yes No General Public Would you like to see any limitations on the number of days an entire short-term rental unit can be rented as a whole? # % Yes 437 64% No 247 36% 98 84 255 What type of limitation would you like to see? Limit the number of days an entire operator-occupied unit can be rented as a whole Limit the number of days an owner-adjacent unit can be rented as a whole Both What type of limitation would you like to see? # % Limit the number of days an entire operator- occupied unit can be rented as a whole 98 22% Limit the number of days an owner-adjacent unit can be rented as a whole 84 19% Both 255 58%

Short-Term Rental Operator 3 3 5 What type of limitation would you like to see? Limit the number of days an entire operator-occupied unit can be rented as a whole Limit the number of days an owner-adjacent unit can be rented as a whole Both 11 93 Would you like to see any limitations on the number of days an entire short-term rental unit can be rented as a whole? Yes No Would you like to see any limitations on the number of days an entire short- term rental unit can be rented as a whole? # % Yes 11 11% No 93 89% What type of limitation would you like to see? # % Limit the number of days an entire operator- occupied unit can be rented as a whole 3 27% Limit the number of days an owner-adjacent unit can be rented as a whole 3 27% Both 5 45%

Neighbor of a Short-Term Rental 26 14 55 What type of limitation would you like to see? Limit the number of days an entire operator-occupied unit can be rented as a whole Limit the number of days an owner-adjacent unit can be rented as a whole Both 95 45 Would you like to see any limitations on the number of days an entire short-term rental unit can be rented as a whole? Yes No Would you like to see any limitations on the number of days an entire short-term rental unit can be rented as a whole? # % Yes 95 68% No 45 32% What type of limitation would you like to see? # % Limit the number of days an entire operator-occupied unit can be rented as a whole 26 27% Limit the number of days an owner- adjacent unit can be rented as a whole 14 15% Both 55 58%

628 300 15. Should owner-adjacent short-term rentals be allowed? Yes No Should owner-adjacent short-term rentals be allowed? # % Yes 628 68% No 300 32%

446 238 Should owner-adjacent short-term rentals be allowed? Yes No Should owner-adjacent short-term rentals be allowed? # % Yes 446 65% No 238 35% General Public

97 7 Should owner-adjacent short-term rentals be allowed? Yes No Short-Term Rental Operator Should owner-adjacent short-term rentals be allowed? # % Yes 97 93% No 7 7%

85 55 Should owner-adjacent short-term rentals be allowed? Yes No Neighbor of a Short-Term Rental Should owner-adjacent short-term rentals be allowed? # % Yes 85 61% No 55 39%

99 4 16. Do you rely on short-term rental income as an important source of income? Yes No Do you rely on short-term rental income as an important source of income? # % Yes 99 96% No 4 4%

421 507 17. Do you live in a condominium association? Yes No Do you live in a condominium association? # % Yes 421 45% No 507 55%

72 281 68 18. Do you have short-term rentals in your condo building? Yes No Not sure Do you have short-term rentals in your condo building? # % Yes 72 17% No 281 67% Not sure 68 16%

212 22 85 102 19. What impact has short-term rentals had on your building? No impact Positive impact Negative impact Not sure What impact has short-term rentals had on your building? # % No impact 212 50% Positive impact 22 5% Negative impact 85 20% Not sure 102 24%

194 89 138 20. Do your condominium bylaws regulate short-term rentals? Yes No Not sure Do your condominium bylaws regulate short-term rentals? # % Yes 194 46% No 89 21% Not sure 138 33%

138 114 169 21. Would it be difficult to update your condominium bylaws to include language regulating short-term rentals? Yes No Not sure Would it be difficult to update your condominium bylaws to include language regulating short-term rentals # % Yes 138 33% No 114 27% Not sure 169 40%

314 50 46 22. Do you think that the City should require a letter of approval from condo associations before approving a condo short-term rental application? Yes No Not sure Do you think that the City should require a letter of approval from condo associations before approving a condo short-term rental application? # % Yes 314 77% No 50 12% Not sure 46 11%

150 117 154 23. Who would you consider to be a primary resident for an operator of a short-term rental? A resident who lives at the property for at least 6 months out of the year A resident who lives at the property for at least 9 months out of the year A resident who lives at the property for 12 months out of the year Who would you consider to be a primary resident for an operator of a short-term rental? # % A resident who lives at the property for at least 6 months out of the year 150 36% A resident who lives at the property for at least 9 months out of the year 117 28% A resident who lives at the property for 12 months out of the year 154 37%