Remove restrictions that limit more housing? Rein in rents? Voters may face dueling ballot questions advancing competing

THERE IS LITTLE disagreement that Massachusetts faces a housing affordability crisis, with costs soaring amid a limited supply.

But when it comes to what to do about it, housing advocates often fall into two camps, offering very different solutions: those who say the key is boosting supply by eliminating restrictions that make it hard to build more housing – especially more affordable, modest-sized homes – and others who say we can’t build our way out of the crisis fast enough and should cap rents to stop landlords from gouging tenants in a tight market.

Massachusetts voters may now be asked to weigh in on the competing ideas. Two groups advancing sharply differing answers to the housing crisis say they will work to put questions on the 2026 state ballot aimed at addressing the problem.

A group pushing a housing growth approach filed a petition on Tuesday with the attorney general’s office that would reduce the minimum lot size that communities can maintain for single-family homes. Meanwhile, a group of housing advocates plans to file a petition on Wednesday for a ballot question that would cap annual rent increases statewide.



https://commonwealthbeacon.org/ballot-questions/remove-restrictions-that-limit-more-housing-or-rein-in-rents-voters-may-face-dueling-ballot-questions-advancing-competing-ideas/