Chapter 40B Housing Production Plan

A Housing Production Plan (HPP) is a community's proactive strategy for planning and developing affordable housing by creating a strategy to enable it to meet its affordable housing needs in a manner consistent with the Chapter 40B statute and regulation

The HPP regulation became effective on February 22, 2008, when the DHCD (now EOHLC) promulgated 760 CMR 56.00, Comprehensive Permit; Low or Moderate Income Housing. The HPP regulation is contained in 760 CMR 56.03(4). HPPs replace Planned Production under 760 CMR 31.07(1)(i).

If a community has a EOHLC approved HPP and is granted certification of compliance with the plan by EOHLC, a decision by the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) relative to a comprehensive permit application will be deemed "consistent with local needs" under MGL Chapter 40B. "Consistent with local needs" means the ZBA's decision will be upheld by the Housing Appeals Committee.

Resources

Regulations

Housing Production Plan Guidelines

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Memo 2020 Housing Production Plans Goals/Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Guidance for Chapter 40B Safe Harbor Submissions Decisions

Workshops, Presentations and Training

Chapter 40B: Past, Present & Future Conference Materials

Chapter 40B Handbook for Zoning Boards of Appeal (March 2017)

40B Highlights

DHCD Guidelines: Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plans

EOHLC Approved Plans

Map of the 351 communities in the Commonwealth. This map is color-coded to signify the status of a community's Housing Production Plan. Screen reader users, please select the links in the below resources section to explore this data.

Housing Production Status Table

Housing Production Plan (HPP) Status Table_2025.11.25

HPP Approval*: HLC has reviewed and approved a community's Housing Production Plan (HPP) and confirms it satisfies regulatory requirements.
HPP Certification**: EOHLC has certified the community's compliance with the goals of its approved HPP. To be certified, a community must increase its number of Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI) Eligible Housing units in an amount equal to or greater than its 0.5% production goals for that calendar year. Once certified, a community is in "safe harbor" from proposed 40B developments.
2020 Census Year Round Housing Units***: The number of year-round housing units counted in the municipality on the 2020 U.S. Decennial Census.
0.5% Production Goal****: The minimum number of SHI-Eligible Housing units that must be produced by a community within that calendar year to be eligible for HPP Certification.

Date published:	September 11, 2024
Last updated:	September 11, 2024