A new study has found that despite the statewide legalization of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in 2024, production remains critically low as Massachusetts remains in the top five U.S. states for outmigration.

Small homes located on the same property as larger, primary dwellings, ADUs provide another opportunity for housing as Massachusetts continues to experience a housing shortage. Homeowners can use backyard cottages or convert garages, basements and attics into ADUs, that is, if government red tape doesn’t get in the way of any production.

The study, conducted by the Pioneer Institute, blames local zoning and permitting practices that discourage development. While the state estimates that it needs 222,000 new housing developments over the next decade, the Institute found that only 5

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