Massachusetts ballot question 7: Could smaller lots make homes more affordable?

Well, we are just a few weeks away from election day and ballot question seven is getting a lot of buzz. If voters approve it, it could make it easier for people to build new smaller homes. Boston 25's Lisa Pappas shows us what's on both sides of that measure. ballot question seven known as the starter homes question would allow single family homes to be built on smaller plots of land right now it's up to local town leaders to decide on the land restrictions but most towns in Massachusetts require about an acre of land to build a new home some require two acres it has been a key barrier to building more affordable more reasonable reasonably priced starter homes that you need to first purchase so much land before you can do that. Danielle Hornung is the director of Airbnb's housing accelerator. It's a new program to help promote more affordable housing so Airbnb is all for a yes vote on ballot question seven. But on those lots builders would be able to build homes that you know middle class people or young people who are trying to get into home ownership for the first time could afford and so we really think this is a common sense reform. A yes vote would create a new statewide minimum of 5,000 square feet of land required to build a single-family home. Opponents say this would take away local control from town leaders who may know the community best. A significant number of new homes without prior planning could put stress on either a water system, a sewer system, or both. If this passes, the new home would need access to public water and sewer and have 50 feet of frontage. The Massachusetts Municipal Association doesn't support the change. Along with taking away control from local towns, the MMA says there's no guarantee these new homes will actually be more affordable. There's nothing in the ballot question that would make it a smaller house. I was in another town the other day that had a 3,800-square-foot house on a 5,000-square-foot lot. Five-bedroom, five-bath. So you can build quite large on a small lot. Airbnb is contributing about $100,000 to the Yes on 7 campaign. This is one of nine questions It's on the ballot this November. On scene in Dedham, I'm Lisa Pappas for your local station, Boston 25 News. And Boston 25 News is your election headquarters. Stay with us for live updates on election night. We'll have full results on air and online at boston25news.com.