Single-Family Homes on Smaller Lots
Would require every city and town to allow single-family homes on small lots with water, sewer, and road access, overriding stricter local zoning.
A YES vote
Requires every city and town to allow a single-family home on any residentially zoned lot of at least 5,000 square feet (about 0.12 acres) that has at least 50 feet of street frontage and access to public water and sewer. Much of Massachusetts currently zones for minimum lots of a half-acre to two acres, so this would override those larger minimums wherever the three conditions are met.
A NO vote
Leaves minimum lot sizes up to each city and town's own zoning rules, as is the case today.
Who this affects
- Homeowners and would-be homebuyers, especially in suburbs with sewer access and large lots that could be split
- Cities and towns with large-lot zoning, which would lose some local control over roughly 200,000 parcels
- Builders and developers
Who's for it, who's against it
Supporters say
The Legalize Starter Homes campaign sponsored the petition, with support from Abundant Housing Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Association of Realtors.
Opponents say
The Massachusetts Municipal Association has testified against the measure, citing local control and water/sewer capacity concerns, but had not registered a formal ballot committee as of August 2026.
Who's paying for the campaigns
Funding the YES side
Backed by the Legalize Starter Homes campaign, Abundant Housing Massachusetts, and the Massachusetts Association of Realtors; committee totals weren't broken out in available filings.
Funding the NO side
The Massachusetts Municipal Association has testified against the measure but had not registered a formal ballot committee as of August 2026, so there's no opposition spending to report yet.
Figures reflect filings as of late August 2026 and will shift before Election Day.
Official summary and full text: Secretary of the Commonwealth, Information for Voters. Background and funding figures compiled from nonpartisan research by Tufts University's Center for State Policy Analysis and OCPF campaign finance filings.