Massachusetts voters have narrowly rejected a ballot question intended to ease the housing crisis and increase the availability of potentially smaller homes, The Associated Press projected on Friday.
It was the last of nine questions on the Massachusetts ballot to be settled.
Just over 50% of voters rejected Question 7, which would enable homes to be constructed on smaller lots, according to Friday’s unofficial results. With 99% of the expected vote in, “no” had 1,287,917 votes to 1,255,595 for “yes.”
MA Question 7: Single-Family Home Zoning
Projected Winner
The language of Question 7 would enable single-family homes to be built on lots as small as 5,000 square feet that have at least 50 feet of land bordering the street and access to public water and sewer services. While supporters argued the question would create momentum to build starter homes and help seniors downsize, the measure did not explicitly mandate the size of the homes. Rather, dimensions would need to be ironed out through subsequent state regulatory decision-making and local zoning.
Here’s a look at the results of the 2026 Massachusetts ballot questions — including Question 7, which has voters split on whether to allow single-family homes on smaller lots.
A report from the Center for State Policy Analysis at Tufts University estimated the question would generate roughly 750 new homes annually and that suburbs, particularly around Boston, would see the biggest home-building boost. Cities and towns would also lose “some real authority” over the construction rules for roughly 850,000 parcels, though municipalities could still delineate criteria around setbacks, height and bulk of buildings, the report said.