MOAM: Question 7, Starter Homes vs. Local Control. What It Could Mean for the North Shore
Tomorrow, Tuesday, Nov. 3, Massachusetts voters decide ten ballot questions. As a Marblehead REALTOR®, the one I get asked about most is Question 7, "Single Family Homes."
What a yes vote does
A yes vote would allow a single-family home in any residentially zoned area on a lot of at least 5,000 square feet with at least 50 feet of frontage and access to public water and sewer. Today, each city and town sets its own minimum lot size. Under Question 7, a lot that meets those three tests could get a single-family home by right, even where local zoning now requires a bigger lot.
Towns would still be able to regulate height, distance from neighboring buildings, open space, parking and short-term rentals, and the state's Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities could issue regulations. Boston, which has its own zoning statute, is exempt. A no vote changes nothing.
The case for
Wesley Lima of Legalize Starter Homes signed the argument in favor. Supporters see it as one way to add housing supply in a state struggling with high prices and limited inventory. Smaller lots mean smaller, less expensive homes. Those are the "starter homes" young families tell me they can't find, and the right-sized homes downsizers want so they can stay in town.
The case against
Adam Chapdelaine of the Massachusetts Municipal Association signed the argument against. Opponents say zoning should stay mainly under local control, and that one statewide standard can't account for the differences between communities.
Here in Marblehead, Select Board Chair Dan Fox opposes it. He told the Marblehead Current that in a built-out town "where small lots, narrow streets, infrastructure limitations, parking and neighborhood character all matter," eliminating local zoning requirements "could have significant unintended consequences." Planning Board Chair Marc Liebman also opposes it, saying it could "majorly reshape our neighborhoods, density and population."
Don't confuse it with MBTA Communities
Marblehead just finished a separate zoning fight. On Oct. 26 the state found the town in compliance with the MBTA Communities Act, accepting a 40.8-acre multifamily district built mostly on Tedesco Country Club land, with estimated capacity for 900 units. That law covers multifamily housing. Question 7 covers single-family lots. They are two different things.
What it could mean for prices and inventory
Honestly, nobody knows yet. The state's own fiscal statement says new housing "could provide positive new growth revenues" but the scale is "difficult to project." The Marblehead Independent noted that the available figures don't show how many Marblehead lots it would affect. In older North Shore towns, many lots are already smaller than 5,000 square feet, so the bigger change may come in towns with large-lot zoning. Over time, more buildable lots could mean more inventory and some relief on prices for entry-level buyers. It could also mean more teardowns and tighter streets. That's the trade-off on the ballot.
Whatever you decide, please vote tomorrow. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.So what do you think? Should the state set a floor for starter homes, or should each town keep the final say on its own lots?
Questions about what Question 7 could mean for your property? Call or text me at 781-727-6516, or visit nanepashemet.com.
John Nestor, REALTOR®, Marblehead
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