Housing Production Plan

Town of Brookline Housing Production Plan

(updated 5/25/23)

Sign up for the Housing Production Plan e-mail list for updates.

Final HPP Draft- for Select Board Approval

DRAFT HPP - Planning Board Approval - May 10, 2023

DRAFT HPP for HAB Discussion - March 15, 2023 

Other HPP Deliverables

November 30, 2022 HAB Update:

Housing Production Plan (HPP) Documents:

Progress Reports:

2022 Community Forums

January 26, 2022 at 7 PM (Virtual Meeting)
Housing Review and Future Housing Needs

February 23, 2022 at 7 PM (Virtual Meeting)
Developing Common Values and Goals for Future Housing

June 27, 2022 at 7 PM (Virtual Meeting)
Identifying Opportunities for Affordable Housing Development

Housing Production Plan Update - Schedule:

PhaseEstimated timeframeWhat will be happening?
Initial OutreachOctober - November 2021
  • Data Collection
  • Community Engagement Plan
  • Initial community interviews
November 2021 - January 2022
  • Focus groups and other interviews
  • (the "deeper dive" phase)
  • Initial analysis of housing needs
  • HAB update
Planning ProcessJanuary - June 2022
  • Needs Survey
  • 3 Community Forums
  • Community events to engage residents
  • Location-Based Prototypes
  • Periodic HAB updates
June - September 2022
  • Final Draft of HPP presentation to Planning Board and Select Board
  • Votes of approval
Final Steps
Plan submission to DHCD
Housing Production Plan Schedule

What is a Housing Production Plan (HPP)?

A Housing Production Plan (HPP) is a community's proactive strategy for planning and developing affordable housing. The purpose of a Housing Production Plan is to identify and address the affordable housing needs of low- or moderate-income people. A state-regulated plan that requires approval by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), the Housing Production Plan focuses on developing and preserving homes that meet the requirements of the state’s affordable housing law, commonly known as Chapter 40B. Brookline continues to use Chapter 40B comprehensive permits, Inclusionary Zoning, and federal and state funds to create units that meet affordable housing needs. See Brookline's previous Housing Production Plan here.

Community Engagement for the Housing Production Plan

The Housing Production Plan process will include multiple avenues of community engagement with people across a variety of incomes, racial and ethnic communities, and neighborhoods. The initial interviews this fall and the broader community meetings to follow over the winter will focus on the heart of any Housing Production Plan: a comprehensive housing needs assessment. Public forums are expected to commence in January and occur periodically over several months, with the project slated for completion by August 2022. Stay informed by signing up for the Housing Production Plan emails via the Town's Notify Me webpage. 

Housing Thresholds under Massachusetts’ Chapter 40B

Housing Production Plans create a strategy to enable municipalities to meet their affordable housing needs in a manner consistent with the Chapter 40B statute and regulation. The Town of Brookline has made significant progress toward meeting and exceeding the state's 10% Subsidized Housing Inventory threshold. Mass.gov has more information on Housing Production Plans.

Consultants for the Housing Production Plan

The Town of Brookline hired a consulting team led by Barrett Planning Group, with Community Circle, Dodson & Flinker, and Language Connections. Barrett Planning Group and Community Circle are heading up community engagement, which will be informed by focused interviews conducted throughout November and through follow up interviews in December and into the new year.

Update on October 12, 2021

On October 12, 2021 the staff-led working group kicked off this project with our consultant team (Barrett Planning Group, Community Circle, Dodson & Flinker, and Language Connections). The first phase of work includes creating a community engagement plan and completing targeted community interviews to better document housing needs in Brookline. Additional information will be added to this webpage as the project proceeds, including information about public forums beginning in January 2022. We anticipate this work will be completed by the summer of 2022.

Previous Updates (6/15/21)

On April 14, 2021 the Brookline Purchasing Division released an RFP for consulting services to update the Town's Housing Production Plan.