Guidance  FY27 Housing Choice Grant Program Guidelines

Date:	01/23/2026
Organization:	Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities

Program Information and these Guidelines have been developed for applicants to the FY27 Housing Choice Grant Program (HC). The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) may issue additional guidance, clarification, or revisions which shall be incorporated by reference into these Guidelines. This document is intended to clarify, interpret, and explain existing program requirements, and to provide guidance on EOHLC’s applicant selection process. It is not intended to be exhaustive.

FY27 Housing Choice Grant Program Overview

The Housing Choice Initiative provides incentives, rewards, technical assistance, and targeted legislative reform to encourage and empower municipalities to plan and build the diverse housing stock that the Commonwealth needs to continue to thrive. The Housing Choice Grant Program (HC) is an exclusive grant program for municipalities currently designated as a Housing Choice Community (HCC) or Rural and Small Town Housing Choice Community (RST-HCC) to further their current housing efforts to meet our statewide, regional, and local housing needs. Grant funds may be used for a variety of activities related to planning and zoning, site preparation for development, housing development, and infrastructure.

Maximum Award

The HC awards a maximum grant to single applicant entities of up to:

• $500,000 in funding for projects within the “Site Preparation,” “Buildings,” and “Infrastructure” Community One Stop for Growth (COSG) Development Continuum categories.
• $150,000 in funding for projects within the “Planning and Zoning” COSG Development Continuum category.

Applicants are encouraged to conduct due diligence to determine accurate estimates of project costs to better understand actual costs of the proposed project. Funding over these maxima will only be considered for joint or regional applications on a case-by-case basis, at EOHLC’s discretion, based on project need, outcomes, impact, and scope of engagement plan and implementation.

• While a local cash match is not required, a match may factor into HLC’s applicant selection process. Projects that include at least a 10% cash match will receive bonus points in application review. Note that staff time is not considered a “cash match.”

EOHLC reserves the right to reduce the amount of the award from the original request, and to deny an award to applicants with existing or past violations of EOHLC contractual obligations. Funding availability is subject to the final state budget and capital investment plan.

Project Examples

Examples of eligible projects by Development Continuum categories include but are not limited to:
Planning and Zoning

1. Update of a Comprehensive Plan.
2. Creation of an Urban Renewal Plan.
3. Review of current zoning to identify and remove language that excludes certain housing types.
4. Review of zoning ordinances, creation of a plan to update zoning rules to unlock potential housing production, and implementation of strategies defined in a Housing Production Plan or other municipal plan.

Site Preparation

1. Planning for housing at specific parcel(s), including feasibility analyses, site plans, market assessments, and other parcel(s) specific site preparation activities.
2. Permitting and preparing engineering plans to address changes to existing water, sewer, and stormwater in a development site.
3. Conducting pre-development site master planning on an underutilized commercial property with the intent to create mixed-use that includes affordable housing.

Building

1. Providing funding toward building construction of an affordable housing project to directly create affordable housing units or increase the number of affordable units in a new housing project.
2. Rehabilitation of housing to bring an underutilized property back onto the market.

Infrastructure

1. Permitting and construction of existing water, sewer, and stormwater infrastructure.
2. Creation of engineering designs to replace an existing sewer pump station and increase water capacity to build additional housing.
3. Improvements to an intersection near newly built or permitted mixed-use project that will yield new affordable housing.
4. Physical infrastructure improvements to increase safety, mobility, accessibility, and quality of life between residential and commercial areas that increases and promotes alternative modes of transportation.

Eligibility & Use of Funds

Eligible Applicants

Municipalities that are currently designated as an HCC or RST-HCC, as well as Regional Planning Agencies requesting funding for a regional project that will serve HCCs and/or RST-HCCs, are eligible for consideration of an FY27 HC grant. Applications may be submitted by one eligible municipal applicant, two or more eligible municipalities in a joint application with one lead municipality, or a Regional Planning Agency applying for a project located within HCCs and/or RST-HCCs only.

• Municipal applicant(s) must be a currently designated Housing Choice Community (HCC) or Rural and Small Town Housing Choice Community (RST-HCC).
  • Applicant(s) must have conducted an ADA Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan or is willing to commit to conduct such planning by signing a Memorandum of Understanding with EOHLC and the Massachusetts Office on Disability.
• Regional Planning Agency applicant(s) must provide clear and evident support from the HCCs and/or RST-HCCs to be served by the project.

Other public entities and private firms, such as but not limited to Redevelopment Authorities, Economic Development Industrial Corporations, Water and Sewer Districts, other bodies created by legislative act to serve a municipality, and home builders, are ineligible to apply as the lead applicant. Ineligible entities must apply in partnership with an eligible entity.

Housing Moratoria or Restrictive Bylaws

Municipalities with adopted housing moratoria or other restrictive bylaws that do not allow for at least a 5% increase in housing production over a single year are ineligible, with the following special consideration: Municipalities with an imposed or locally adopted restriction due to infrastructure and/or health and safety emergencies may be considered eligible on a case-by-case basis at EOHLC’s sole discretion. To determine eligibility, applicants MUST email McKenzie Bell, Senior Community Grants Coordinator, at [e-mail] to discuss this eligibility factor.

MBTA Community Compliance

Applicants that are MBTA Communities that EOHLC determined to be noncompliant under Section 3A of the Zoning Act (MGL c.40A) and corresponding regulations for Multi-Family Zoning Districts (760 CMR 72.00) are ineligible for this grant program for all activities other than to fund efforts to become compliant with MGL c.40A, Section 3A.

Use of Funds

Funding is available through the “Planning and Zoning,” “Site Preparation,” “Buildings,” and “Infrastructure” categories of the Community One Stop for Growth development continuum. Grants will fund a variety of activities related to community planning, zoning revisions, and planning for housing (as defined in the FY27 Community Planning Grant Program Guidelines), feasibility, engineering, design, and construction of physical infrastructure and of existing and new buildings, rehabilitation, due diligence, plan designs, market studies, pre-permitting/permitting, engineering, acquisition, demolition, and site-related upgrades of future development sites. Construction projects should consider whether their budget should contain a contingency line item.

Grant funds shall not be used to support:

1. Any activities related to assertion of the General Land Area Minimum (GLAM) (1.5% of total land area) safe harbor under 760 CMR 56.03(b)(Chapter 40B); or
2. Routine administrative tasks of municipal staff including, but not limited to, grant application preparation, procurement, or grant administration;
3. Parking decks or garages; or
4. A development with primary municipal use.

Timeline of Funds

FY27 grants are expected to be awarded in the fall of 2026. As a two-fiscal year grant, FY27 grant funded projects must be completed by June 30, 2028.

Grant Application

Full Application

The Housing Choice Grant Program is part of the Community One Stop for Growth (COSG), a single application portal and collaborative review process of community and economic development grant programs that make targeted investments based on a Development Continuum. 

The Full Application is organized into the following sections: 

• Form 1 – Applicant Information
• Form 2 – Project Information 
• Form 3 – Certification of Application Submission Authority

To be considered for funding through the COSG, applicants must include complete responses to all required questions.

Application Review

EOHLC reserves the right to request additional information from the applicant or external sources as may be necessary to complete the application review. EOHLC also reserves the right to recommend partial grant awards, as deemed appropriate.

Full Applications will be scored for the responsiveness to the following criteria.

• Project Need: What community and housing needs are met by the project? Evaluation will consider factors such as impact on housing development, preservation, and/or rehabilitation; impact on other municipally identified needs; and advancing opportunities for target populations.
• Project Readiness: Is the project scope reasonable and achievable within proposed timeline? Evaluation will consider factors such as feasible timeline and scope; identified leadership with experience and ability to execute the project; implementation readiness; and inclusion of a comprehensive public engagement plan.
• Project Financial Feasibility: Is the project’s budget reasonable? Evaluation will consider factors such as whether project is fully or partially funded; reasonableness of cost estimate; and inclusion of cash match(es). In-kind contributions are not match-eligible.
• Progress & Commitment to Date: Does the applicant show commitment to the project through past activity and investment? Evaluation will consider factors such as progress to date; and addressing a long-known need.
• Project Outcomes & Impact: What are the projected outcomes of this project and the impact this project may have on the community? Evaluation will consider factors such as impact of the project relative to the community and responsiveness to identified need; tangible housing outcomes; community engagement plan; zoning or local by-law changes related to the project; and implementation strategies.
• Housing Choice Best Practices:How many Housing Choice Best Practices are implemented by the Housing Choice Community?

Evaluation will also consider the following factors:

• Past performance with all prior EOHLC capital grants and capital grant contracts;
• Regional/geographic diversity of awardees;
• Whether an applicant is a first-time EOHLC capital grants recipient;
• Prior EOHLC support or investment;
• Successful implementation of a prior EOHLC capital grant;
• Environmental resiliency; and
• Alignment with Secretariat priorities.

Grant Award

Award of Funds and Grant Contract

Successful applicants must be ready to enter into a contract with EOHLC within 30 days after receiving contract documents. Funding is subject to approval of the EOHLC operating and capital budgets. Grant projects may begin as of the execution of the contract. If selected, an awardee will be required to submit the following forms to complete a contract:

• Commonwealth Standard Contract Form, filled out and e-signed by the Awardee
• Commonwealth Scope and Budget Form (available from EOHLC)
• Completed Contractor Authorized Signature Listing Form (available from EOHLC)
• Completed Fiscal Exercise Form (available from EOHLC)

Grant Distribution and Invoicing

Granted funds will be disbursed on a cost reimbursement basis. Only work completed during the period of the executed contract will be eligible for reimbursement. Upon receipt of all required deliverables, the grantee will be reimbursed for the balance of any outstanding grant funds.

Scoring Rubric

Overall Project Need (maximum 26 points) 

Project will receive one of the four (4) possible project need scores below. 

• 20 points: Proposed project will clearly and convincingly leverage new housing units. 15 points: Proposed project will make future housing growth possible and/or will address a critical need for current housing units. 
• 10 points: Proposed project supports a more livable community, economic development, and/or local transportation options. 
• 0 points: Proposed project supports a different need or is not clearly defined. 

Yes/No: Application describes how proposed project will advance opportunities for community members who have been socially and/or economically disadvantaged and/or historically underrepresented. (2 points if yes) 

Yes/No: Project supports an initiative or improvement that the community has never before tackled or has not been able to implement. (2 points if yes) 

Yes/No: Applicant community does not have a full-time municipal staff that would otherwise lead a similar project. (2 points if yes) 

Project Implementation & Readiness (maximum 10 points) 

Yes/No: Proposed project scope of work is an eligible use of funds and can be accomplished within the grant timeline (6/30/28). (5 points if yes) 

Yes/No: Proposed project has a cost estimate and/or an identified consultant. (3 points if yes) 

Yes/No: Proposed project will support the planning or development of housing units that will come online within 2 years. (2 points if yes) 

Project Financial Feasibility (maximum 10 points) 

Yes/No: Proposed project scope of work would be fully funded with award (including any match funds). (5 points if yes) 

Yes/No: Proposed project includes at least a 10% local cash match (Note that only cash (including DLTA, ARPA, and other municipal/organizational appropriations) counts as a match; staff time does not count as a match). (3 points if yes) 

Yes/No: Proposed project includes at least a 10% cash match from a different source. (2 points if yes) 

Project Progress & Commitment to Date (maximum 10 points) 

Yes/No: Proposed project leadership is clearly identified and has requisite experience to effectively manage the project. (2 points if yes) 

Yes/No: Proposed project is located within and/or related to a 40R Smart Growth District or 40Y Starter Home District. (2 points if yes) 

Yes/No: Proposed project has had prior EOHLC investment or support. (1 point if yes) 

Yes/No: Applicant has invested and spent local funds into prior phase(s) of the proposed project. (3 points if yes) 

Yes/No: Applicant has taken local action (not related to 40R/40Y or local funds to the project) that supports or facilitates the proposed project. (2 points if yes) 

Project Outcomes & Impact (maximum 29 points) 

Project will receive one of the four (4) possible project outcomes & impact scores below. 

• 22 points: Proposed project will clearly and convincingly leverage new housing that includes affordable units. 
• 20 points: Proposed project will clearly and convincingly leverage new housing units that only include market-rate units. 
• 18 points: Proposed project makes future housing growth possible and/or addresses a need that preserves current housing units. 
• 14 points: Proposed project makes improvements for current residents and/or supports a more livable community, economic development, and/or local transportation options. 
• 0 points: Proposed project is not achievable and/or will not result in tangible benefits. 

Yes/No: Proposed project solves a documented infrastructure and/or health and safety emergency that the community must address urgently. (5 points if yes) 

Yes/No: Proposed project supports or plans for transit-oriented development. (2 points if yes) 

Housing Choice Best Practice Score

Designated communities are assessed a weighted score (up to 10 points) for implementation of HC best practices which will be determined by an internal scoring system.