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Boston Globe

Most Mass. voters want more housing, poll finds

A new poll this week from MassINC, commissioned by the pro-housing group Abundant Housing Massachusetts, found that the majority of the state's voters More than 90 percent of the 803 voters MassINC surveyed in March identified the cost of housing here as a problem, and 71 percent said they would prioritize building more homes that people can afford over preserving the character of neighborhoods. Some 57 percent of respondents said the cost of homeownership and renting in their own communities is 'a big problem,' and 75 percent said there are not enough homes in Massachusetts that the average person can buy or rent. 'This survey shows that the loud opposition that often show up at local planning meetings are actually a minority,' said Richard Parr, senior research director at The MassINC Polling Group. 'Most people, when presented with practical solutions, seem ready to say yes to more housing.' Related : Advertisement The poll, said Jesse Kanson-Benanav, executive director of Abundant Housing, indicates that the extreme cost of housing in the state — the median-priced single-family home in Greater Boston Advertisement An apartment building under construction in Lynn in 2023. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff Its a welcome sign for housing advocates, who argue the state needs to compel cities and towns to build more. Massachusetts has not built enough housing over the last couple of decades to keep up with the state's growing population, and the Healey Administration earlier this year established The majority of people surveyed by MassINC said they would support efforts to increase new development near public transit, as well as allowing homes to be built on smaller patches of land. Most also said they would support allowing smaller multifamily buildings like triple-deckers in their neighborhoods. The results of the poll may sound contradictory because opposition to new housing is loud in many communities. But it aligns with homeowners. Those opponents may not necessarily be representative of the community at large, the BU research found. And even so, the majority of the voters surveyed by MassINC said they lived in a single-family home. Support for new housing development was highest among renters, non-white voters, parents, and people under the age of 45. Advertisement The poll, said Kanson-Benanav, should serve as evidence for the Legislature to pass more policies that encourage development. Several legislators have recently introduced bills that would reduce the scope of the MBTA Communities Act, the law that requires towns to zone for more housing. And two recently announced Republican candidates who plan to run against Governor Maura Healey have criticized the administration for its approach to enforcing the law, with one, former MBTA executive Brian Shortsleeve, saying he would push the Legislature to repeal it. 'Across the Commonwealth, voters want more housing solutions that create an abundance of housing opportunities for families, renters, and longtime homeowners alike,' said Kanson-Benanav. 'They're telling lawmakers: say yes to homes — and yes to the future of Massachusetts by passing reforms that will build more homes for everyday residents.' Andrew Brinker can be reached at