BOSTON, MA — Massachusetts voters will get an unusual chance this fall to weigh in directly on zoning reform. Question 7 on the November ballot would allow single-family homes on any lot in the state that is at least 5,000 square feet and has access to public water and sewer service.
Supporters say the change would make it easier to build starter homes and could help address one of the nation’s toughest housing shortages. They estimate it could lead to between 2,200 and 5,700 new homes a year, though they also acknowledge it would only be one part of a much larger solution.
State lawmakers have already loosened housing rules
The ballot question is the latest step in a housing push that has been building in the legislature for years. In 2021, Massachusetts required every municipality served by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority to allow multifamily housing by right somewhere within its borders.
That policy applies to 177 communities. In 2024, the state legalized accessory dwelling units, often called granny flats or in-law apartments, in every city and town. Those changes have already produced some activity, including roughly 7,000 housing units under development in areas newly zoned for multifamily use and more than 2,000 ADU approvals.
Backers say the measure could open the door to starter homes
Housing advocates argue that minimum lot-size rules have long been used to keep neighborhoods exclusive and restrict new construction. Question 7 would limit how much local governments can use those rules to block development, while still requiring that lots have at least 50 feet of street frontage and access to public infrastructure.
Jesse Kanson-Benanav, executive director of Abundant Housing MA, said recent reforms have helped but have not gone far enough in a state where affordability remains a major problem. He said the ballot measure could create momentum for additional action in the legislature.
Andrew Mikula, who originated the petition, said the proposal is meant to broaden the housing debate beyond longtime homeowners who often dominate local land-use fights. He said many people who could benefit from more housing, including younger residents and future arrivals, do not have the same influence in zoning decisions.
Opponents warn about local control and infrastructure strain
The Massachusetts Municipal Association is opposing the proposal, saying it would take important zoning authority away from cities and towns. Executive director Adam Chapdelaine said local officials should retain the power to govern their own communities and that the measure crosses a line by limiting that role.
Chapdelaine also said the proposal does not require newly created homes to be affordable or especially small. While it says eligible lots must have access to public infrastructure, he said that does not guarantee the infrastructure can handle more development. Supporters counter that local communities would still shape what gets built, even if they could not block subdivisions outright.
Voter support could test the housing politics of affordability
Supporters believe affordability concerns could give the measure a strong path with voters. A poll released in August by the Legalize Starter Homes campaign found that nearly 90 percent of Massachusetts voters see cost of living as a top issue, and about 63 percent support Question 7.
That support reportedly included large majorities of homeowners and suburban residents. Advocates say a successful vote would send a message to lawmakers that the public wants more housing growth and could encourage additional zoning changes in future sessions.
A first-of-its-kind zoning question with broader implications
Housing policy has increasingly become a state-level issue across the country, with lawmakers from both parties legalizing accessory dwelling units and, in some states, limiting the minimum lot sizes cities can impose. Massachusetts supporters say Question 7 stands out because it would be the first time voters have been asked directly to approve zoning reform on a statewide ballot.
Chapdelaine said cities and towns can become an easy target for blame even though other forces, including construction inflation and private-equity ownership of apartment buildings, also affect housing costs. For supporters, though, the ballot question is a way to test whether voters are ready to back more aggressive changes to make room for new homes.
Housing shortage keeps pressure on the state
Massachusetts is among the least affordable states in the country, and advocates say it needs roughly 222,000 new housing units to close the gap. Supporters of Question 7 argue that the state’s earlier reforms have produced measurable results, but not enough to solve the problem on their own.
Kanson-Benanav said the measure is aimed at showing both lawmakers and skeptics that the electorate is willing to support more housing production. Mikula said the potential benefits of more housing are spread widely, while the resistance is often concentrated among a smaller group of existing property owners. That dynamic, he said, is exactly what the campaign is trying to change.
