Should states force cities to build cheaper houses? Voters here will decide
Massachusetts voters are considering a ballot measure that would mandate zoning changes to allow smaller starter homes on smaller lots. The initiative aims to address the state's severe housing shortage and affordability crisis.
Why it matters
State-level intervention in local zoning is a growing trend in the U.S. as a strategy to combat rising housing costs.
LEXINGTON, Mass. — Massachusetts is one of the most expensive states in the country, and it's easy to find people frustrated with high home prices.
"It's really hard to find housing, it's extremely expensive, and I can't afford to live alone," said renter Jamie Sharken, 34, as she walks her dog in Lexington, north of Boston and near where she shares a home with three others. "There's four of us in two bathrooms, definitely a run-down old house."
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