Massachusetts Voters to Decide on Statewide Minimum Lot Size Cap in November Ballot
Massachusetts voters will decide in November whether to cap minimum lot sizes statewide, a measure that would limit single-family home lots to 5,000 square feet under qualifying conditions. This marks the first time any U.S. state has put such a question directly to a ballot. The initiative, spearheaded by the 'Legalize Starter Homes' campaign, aims to address housing affordability by allowing for greater density in areas currently subject to much larger minimums, often 10,000 square feet to 2 acres. The measure applies to parcels connected to public water and sewer, excluding areas like Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, and the Berkshires, and does not cover Boston due to its separate zoning laws. This ballot question emerged after a tenant coalition's effort to cap rent increases at 5% or inflation was struck down by the Supreme Judicial Court due to constitutional issues. Housing advocates view this lot size reform as a way to incrementally increase housing stock and demonstrate public support for...
