Massachusetts voters narrowly reject Ballot Question 7 on single-family home zoning

Massachusetts voters have rejected Ballot Question 7 on single family home zoning by a slim margin, the Associated Press projected Friday, nearly three days after the election.

If it had been approved, the proposal would have lowered the required lot size for single-family home construction. 

Voters in Massachusetts were asked to decide on nine ballot questions during this year's election, tying the record for most on a single ballot. 

Question 7 was the last one to be decided in what was the closest race on the ballot in Massachusetts. The AP called the race on Friday afternoon, with 99% of the votes counted. It was narrowly rejected, with 50.6% of voters saying no to 49.4% saying yes. The difference was 32,322 votes out of more than 2.5 million cast.

Question 7 proposed a change in the state's requirements for building single-family homes. If would have lowered the minimum lot size to 5,000 square feet, except in Boston, which has its own zoning law. 

Additionally, lots would need at least 50 feet of land bordering the street and have access to public sewer and water services. 

Supporters argued that it would be an effective tool to tackle Massachusetts' housing crisis. 

Hillary Pizer, the director of policy at the Massachusetts Affordable Homeownership Alliance (MAHA), told WBZ-TV a "yes" vote could give first-time homeowners the opportunity to get into the market. 

"A lot of towns have said 'no, you need 20,000 sq. ft.' or 'you need 40,000 sq. ft.' We have towns that require 80,000 sq. ft., which is almost two acres for one single housing unit," she said. "So, when you do that, you reduce the amount of homes that can fit in any given geographic area." 

Opponents of Question 7 argued that it doesn't adequately or explicitly address housing issues across the state. 

"We were really concerned that it was being proposed as providing affordable housing, but nothing about the language actually would have created affordable housing," said Adam Chapdelaine, the executive director and CEO of the Massachusetts Municipal Association.