A conversation with Andrew Mikula, hosted by Newton for Everyone

Free and open to all

Across Massachusetts, the modest single-family home is disappearing. The smaller houses our parents and grandparents started out in are being torn down and replaced with larger, more expensive ones, and in many cities and towns, new ones can't legally be built at all. One big reason is zoning that requires every new house to sit on a large lot. Massachusetts has some of the most expensive land in the country, so that rule leaves room for only one kind of new home: a big one.

On November 3, voters statewide will decide Question 7: Legalize Starter Homes. The ballot initiative would cap minimum lot sizes at 5,000 square feet on lots with water and sewer service. Supporters say it would open the door to smaller, more attainable homes for young families, local workers, and seniors who want to downsize without leaving their community. Skeptics ask whether it would change much in practice, and whether the state should be making this call for cities and towns.

We will hear from Andrew Mikula, the lead organizer of the Question 7 campaign, about the questions voters are asking:

• What would Question 7 change, and what would it leave alone?
• How do minimum lot sizes shape what gets built, and what gets torn down?
• Will it make a real difference for housing availability and affordability?
• How should we vote?

We'll also touch on what it could mean for communities like Newton. Bring your questions. There will be plenty of time for Q&A.