Non-essential stays prohibited
GOV. CHARLIE D. BAKER
BOSTON – Gov. Charlie D. Baker issued additional guidance on March 31 for hotels, motels, inns, bed & breakfasts and short-term residential rentals.
The provision of lodging will be considered essential only when used for housing and accommodation for health-care workers, first responders and other workers constituting the COVID-19 Essential Workforce.
Exceptions include out-of-state workers engaged in transportation of materials, logistics and construction associated with the delivery of health-related services, such as the development of COVID-19 alternative care services; housing and accommodation for vulnerable populations when serving as an emergency shelter for homeless individuals and families; housing and accommodation for Massachusetts residents who are isolating or self-quarantining, but for no longer than the period required to complete the self-isolation.
Other exceptions include housing and accommodation for individuals receiving long-term, specialized medical care from a physician located in the Commonwealth, and for accompanying family members; housing, accommodation, and shelter when required by extenuating circumstances such as fire or casualty for Massachusetts residents, and to accommodate other persons unable to return to their own homes due to flight cancellations, border closures, or other direct and material constraints on travel.
Also permitted are workers engaged in providing or servicing or maintaining lodging for any of the purposes above in order to support the continuing operation of lodging facilities.
Not permitted is lodging for leisure, vacation, and other non-essential purposes. Operators of lodging may, however, continue to provide other, lodging-related services through remote means that do not require workers, customers, or the public to enter or appear at any brick-and-mortar lodging premises.
Persons occupying lodging as of March 31, 2020 may remain in their current lodgings through the end of their originally scheduled stay but may not extend their originally scheduled stay except for essential purposes as described.
During the effective period of the COVID-19 Order, anyone with future reservations or bookings or agreements to occupy lodgings may not exercise those agreements and may not occupy those lodgings; and operators of lodgings may not provide lodging to persons with future reservations or bookings or agreements to occupy lodgings unless in each case the lodgings are provided and occupied for one of the essential purposes.
