Massachusetts Limit on Required Lot Size for Single-Family Homes Initiative (2026)
| Massachusetts Limit on Required Lot Size for Single-Family Homes Initiative | |
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| Election date |
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| Topic Land use and development policy |
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| Status Signatures submitted |
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| Type Indirect initiated state statute |
Origin |
The Massachusetts Limit on Required Lot Size for Single-Family Homes Initiative may be on the ballot in Massachusetts as an indirect initiated state statute on November 3, 2026.
The ballot initiative would require cities and towns to allow single-family homes on residentially zoned lots that meet minimum standards of at least 5,000 square feet in area, at least 50 feet of frontage on a street or public way, and access to public sewer and water services.[1]
According to Massachusetts' Comprehensive Housing Plan for 2025-2029, "Much of Massachusetts is covered by zoning districts that are quite simple: single family homes with a minimum lot area of one-half to two acres."[2] In effect, the initiative would preempt local zoning rules that require lots for single-family homes to be larger than 5,000 square feet, which is about 0.12 acres, as long as the other conditions are met.
The ballot initiative would still allow these lots to "be subject to reasonable regulations, including" dimensional setbacks, limits on building size and height, and restrictions on short-term rentals.[1]
Text of measure
Full text
The full text of the ballot measure is available here.
Support
Legalize Starter Homes is leading the campaign in support of the initiative.[3]
Supporters
- Jesse Kanson-Benanav, Executive Director of Abundant Housing Massachusetts[4]
- Harvard economics professor Ed Glaeser[4]
- Greg Reibman, president and CEO of the Charles River Chamber[4]
Arguments
Opposition
Opponents
Ballotpedia did not locate arguments in support of the ballot measure.
Arguments
You can share campaign information or arguments, along with source links for this information, at editor@ballotpedia.org.
Path to the ballot
Process in Massachusetts
An indirect initiated state statute is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends state statute. There are nine (9) states that allow citizens to initiate indirect state statutes.
While a direct initiative is placed on the ballot once supporters file the required number of valid signatures, an indirect initiative is first presented to the state legislature. Legislators have a certain number of days, depending on the state, to adopt the initiative into law. Should legislators take no action or reject the initiative, the initiative is put on the ballot for voters to decide.
In Massachusetts, the number of signatures required for an indirect initiated state statute is equal to 3% of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election. Massachusetts also has a distribution requirement that requires no more than 25% of the certified signatures on any petition can come from a single county.
The state Legislature has until the first Wednesday of May in the election year to pass the statute. If the legislature does not pass the proposed statute, proponents must collect a second round of signatures equal to 0.5% of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election. The Legislature also has the power to place an alternative measure alongside the proposed statute via a simple majority vote of the state legislature.
A simple majority vote is required for voter approval. However, the number of affirmative votes cast for the measure must be greater than 30% of the votes cast in the election.
The requirements to get an initiated state statute certified for the 2026 ballot:
- Signatures (first round): 74,574
- Signatures (second round): 12,429
- Deadline (first round): The deadline to submit the first round of signatures to the secretary of state was December 3, 2025.
- Deadline (second round): The deadline to submit the second round of signatures is July 8, 2026.
Stages of this initiative
The following is the timeline of the initiative:[5]
- August 5, 2025: The Massachusetts Attorney General announced that the initiative had been filed.
- September 3, 2025: The Massachusetts Attorney General announced that the initiative had been cleared and that supporters could begin gathering signatures for the initiative.
- November 19, 2025: Legalize Starter Homes, the campaign in support of the measure, announced they had collected more than 100,000 signatures in support of the measure.[6]
External links
See also
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Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ballot Initiatives Submitted for the 2026 Biennial Statewide Election (proposed laws) and 2028 Biennial Statewide Election (proposed constitutional amendments), "Initiative Petition for a Law to Allow Single-Family Homes on Small Lots in Areas With Adequate Infrastructure," accessed August 6, 2025
- ↑ Mass.gov, "The zoning framework in Massachusetts," accessed November 20, 2025
- ↑ Legalize Starter Homes, "Homepage," accessed December 5, 2025
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Common Wealth Beacon, "Remove restrictions that limit more housing? Rein in rents? Voters may face dueling ballot questions advancing competing ideas." accessed December 5, 2025
- ↑ Mass.gov, "Ballot Initiatives Submitted for the 2026 Biennial Statewide Election (proposed laws) and 2028 Biennial Statewide Election (proposed constitutional amendments)," accessed August 6, 2025
- ↑ Facebook, "Legalize Starter Homes on Facebook," accessed November 20, 2025
