By Strong Towns
In many cities, permitting processes make it difficult to deliver entry-level housing — smaller, more affordable homes that serve first-time buyers, young families and lower-income residents. Zoning restrictions, local opposition and lengthy approvals all contribute to an undersupply of affordable homes. Massachusetts has taken a bold step to change that.
The Affordable Homes Act was signed into law by Governor Maura Healey, allowing homeowners across Massachusetts to build accessory dwelling units (ADUs) by right. These small, independent living spaces — whether a converted attic, basement apartment or backyard cottage — can provide affordable housing options while giving homeowners a way to generate rental income or house aging family members.
“The ADU law is a major step forward in meeting our housing needs across the commonwealth,” said Clark Ziegler, executive director of the Massachusetts Housing Partnership.
This reform removes a major hurdle for homeowners who previously had to navigate restrictive zoning laws and special permit requirements to build an ADU. As Ed Augustus, secretary of Housing and Livable Communities, put it: “Previously, if a homeowner wanted to build an ADU for an aging parent, they would have had to apply for special permits and variances, which in many cases can be outright denied due to restrictive zoning bylaws. Now, ADUs are allowed by-right statewide, making it easier for residents to build in their own backyards, or onto their existing homes.”
This isn’t just about housing numbers — it’s about people. ADUs give seniors a chance to age in place, allow young adults with special needs more independence, and create opportunities for families to stay close while maintaining privacy. They also provide an incremental way to add housing in communities without the large-scale disruption that big developments often bring.
The statewide ADU law represents a major advance for housing affordability, but it’s just one step in addressing the deeper issues that have made entry-level housing so difficult to produce. Many cities and towns still need to rethink how they regulate housing projects, support incremental developers, and ensure local financing options exist for entry-level units.
If you’re an elected official looking to take meaningful action on housing reform, now is the time to start the conversation — before the housing crisis deepens further, pushing more families out of their communities and straining local economies.
This Thursday, February 27, Strong Towns will release a toolkit on regulatory reform, offering practical steps for updating local approval processes and making cities more housing ready. If you become a member, we’ll send you an invitation to a launch livestream where Chuck will give an inside look at the toolkit with housing experts Alli Thurmond Quinlan (Incremental Development Alliance) and Eric Kronberg (Kronberg Urbanists + Architects).
In the meantime, click here to get a sneak peek at the toolkit and take a quiz to see if your city is ready to welcome more housing. If it is, add it to our map of Housing-Ready Cities!
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Previously Published on strongtowns.org with Creative Commons License
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