As housing costs rise, Massachusetts voters say build more homes

Housing is the top concern in Massachusetts

Overall, the cost of housing was the top issue facing the state according to voters, with 45% of voters saying it was their top issue, followed by several other cost of living issues. Voters of all ages and in suburban, urban, and rural communities all ranked housing as a top issue. 

Bay Staters Strongly Support New Legislative Action to Build More Homes

Voters across demographics and throughout the state overwhelmingly said they want statewide legislative action to offset the increasing squeeze on housing. 84% of respondents said legislators should take action to address the housing shortage and cost of housing. When asked about tradeoffs between statewide and local government authority to expand housing, voters responded positively: 58% of respondents favored legislative candidates who prioritize expanding housing supply in Massachusetts over those who preserve local control to block new housing. This includes 57% of the state’s white respondents, 69% of Black respondents, and 61% of Hispanic respondents. The following chart shows support across the geography of the state.

Voter Support Pro-Housing Policies That Unlock Development

Not only do voters support pro-housing legislative candidates, they also support key policies that would help unlock housing development. Surveyed voters responded positively to building more duplexes, three-deckers and townhouses where single-family homes are already permitted, allowing owners the ability to divide their property into smaller lots, and lowering parking requirements for new housing units. 

Statewide, 59% of voters said they support allowing for more multi-family housing options, such as duplexes, three-deckers, and townhouses wherever single-family homes are allowed; among voters 18-34 and 35-49, support climbed to 76% and 72% respectively.

Respondents were also broadly supportive of a new policy to make it easier to subdivide lots and build new homes. 67% said they would support this proposal, including net positive support across a variety of key demographic factors like age, geography, and partisanship. Lastly, 52% of respondents were supportive of reforming minimum parking requirements, with support highest among young (18-34) and middle-aged respondents (35-49).

Conclusion

Voters across Massachusetts say housing availability and affordability is the top issue for the state. These concerns are felt among voters across partisanship, racial background, geography, age, and other factors. Unsurprisingly, these same voters also say they support a variety of key reforms that would help address the housing crisis in Massachusetts. Support for these policies is particularly pronounced among young and middle-aged respondents, but still remains high when controlling for key factors like region and partisanship.

Bay Staters also want a state legislature that takes action to address the housing shortage and will support candidates for elected office who prioritize allowing more homes even with the trade off that local governments would have less authority to decide what homes are legal to build.

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