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

About Housing Production Plans (HPPs)

The HPP regulation became effective on February 22, 2008, when The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), now Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (HLC), 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 an EOHLC approved HPP and is granted certification of compliance with the plan by HLC, 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
• HPP Production Goals
• 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

Approved Housing Production Plan: The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) has reviewed and approved a community's plan and confirms it satisfies the requirements detailed in the regulations 760 CMR 56.03(4) and guidelines.

Certified Housing Production Plan: EOHLC has certified the community's compliance with the goals of its approved Housing Production Plan (HPP) in accordance with 760 CMR 56.03(4)(f). In order 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 goal for that calendar year in order to achieve "safe harbor" from proposed 40B developments.

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Housing Production Status Table

Housing Production Plan (HPP) Status Table_2026.2.23

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