"A Housing Production Plan (HPP) is a community's proactive strategy for planning and developing affordable housing. The Plan includes strategies that a community uses to enable it to meet its affordable housing needs in a manner consistent with MGL Chapter 40B and related Massachusetts Department of Housing & Community Development (DHCD) regulations.
HPP regulations became effective in 2008 when the DHCD promulgated 760 CMR 56.00, Comprehensive Permit; Low or Moderate Income Housing. Regulation that pertain specifically to the development of a Housing Production Plan is contained in 760 CMR 56.03(4). DHCD has developed Guidelines (updated October 2020) to assist Massachusetts communities with HPP development; the Guidelines are included as Attachment A. Additional HPP related information, including links to Chapter 40B and 760 CMR 56, are available at www.mass.gov/dhcd.
M.G.L. Chapter 40B requires that each Massachusetts town and city have a minimum of 10% of its total year-round housing units as affordable housing. The HPP’s most important purpose is to develop goals and strategies that will result in the community reaching the 10% Statutory Minimum set forth in 760 CMR 56.03(3)(a).
DHCD uses the Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI) to measure a community's stock of low-or moderate- income housing for the purposes of M.G.L. Chapter 40B. A community’s HPP must contain a numerical goal for annual housing production that will increase the “number of SHI Eligible Housing units by at least 0.50% of its total units (as determined in accordance with 760 CMR 56.03(3)(a)) during every calendar year included in the HPP, until the overall percentage exceeds the Statutory Minimum”.
If a community has a DHCD approved HPP and is granted certification of compliance with the plan by DHCD, 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 State’s Housing Appeals Committee.
According to the DHCD web page, as of December 21, 2020, 11.96% of the Town of Franklin’s total year- round housing units are on the Chapter 40B Subsidized Housing Inventory. Therefore, the Town of Franklin is in compliance with Chapter 40 B, and is not immediately under pressure to increase the number of affordable units on its SHI.
However, the Town of Franklin’s total year-round housing units are based on the 2010 U.S. Census, and hundreds of housing units have been permitted and constructed over the last 11 years. According to Town estimates, the Town of Franklin will likely still have over 10% affordable units on its SHI, but the percent will likely be much lower than the 12% mentioned above. Once the Town receives its 2020 Census data this HPP will be updated and if necessary the updated plan will be resubmitted to DHCD for review and re-approval.
Implementing the goals and strategies outlined in this HPP will assure the Town of Franklin maintains at least 10% affordable units on its SHI, but it will also help to make progress in facilitating the development of a diverse housing supply for Franklin’s low and moderate income residents. In addition, the research, documentation and strategies developed during the HPP process will be utilized in the near future during the Town of Franklin’s Master Plan update process."
Find the full copy of the Housing Production Plan
Info on the public comment period
 |
| The Introduction to the **2021 Town of Franklin - Housing Production Plan - Public Review Draft** |
