Minimum lot size requirements—zoning rules that specify the minimum amount of land legally required for each home—often make housing less attainable by limiting the number of homes that can be built. For example, if zoning requires every home to sit on a quarter-acre lot, fewer homes can be built on the same piece of land, so the cost of the land is spread across fewer homes, increasing the price of each home and making it harder for builders to meet market demand.

Mercatus Center research shows how reforming these outdated rules can expand housing supply, lower costs, and allow communities to grow more efficiently. Policymakers in cities like Houston and Reno offer lessons for states and localities nationwide.