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Housing remains the top issue for Mass. — and voters are willing to change their neighborhoods to get it, poll says
Abundant Housing Massachusetts commissioned MassINC Polling Group for a poll on how voters feel about housing opportunities in the state.
What issue is top of mind for Massachusetts voters? The same one that’s been there the last few years: Housing, according to a recent poll from MassINC Polling Group. And voters are willing to put up with big changes to see more of it, the results showed.
Abundant Housing Massachusetts commissioned MassINC for a poll on how voters feel about housing opportunities in the state. It surveyed 803 voters between March 17 and 20.
A vast majority of respondents indicated they prefer increasing the number of housing developments, even if it means changes to their own neighborhoods.
In the poll, 75% of respondents said there are not enough homes in Massachusetts for the average person to buy or rent. Further, 71% answered that they would prefer more homes were built over protecting the character of their neighborhoods from change (which represented the thoughts of 21% of the poll takers).
“Polls have shown for a couple years that housing is a top issue facing the state as a whole. What this poll shows is that there is support for doing something about that at the local level as well,” said Richard Parr, senior research director at MassINC, in a statement.
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The MBTA Communities Act requires multi-family housing to be zoned in towns and cities with a commuter rail or subway station nearby. Many communities fought the law, but it was ultimately upheld by the Supreme Judicial Court with an extension given to affected areas to comply. The poll showed 79% of people strongly or somewhat supported an expansion of this law.
In a question asking whether they would support laws to make building more homes easier, 81% of participants said they would strongly or somewhat support it.
“These results confirm that Massachusetts residents continue to feel the strain of our severe housing shortage,” said Jesse Kanson-Benanav, executive director of Abundant Housing MA, in a statement. “Across the Commonwealth, voters want more housing solutions that create an abundance of housing opportunities for families, renters, and longtime homeowners alike.”
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