EOHLC

Please review the Best Practices below. If your community meets a best practice, select "yes," upload evidence/documentation as proof, and briefly describe how your community meets the best practice.

NOTE: If your City/Town is applying under the eligibility criteria of 7% or 700 new units, you must select and provide proof of best practices your City/Town meets. While proof of best practices is not required under this eligibility criteria, you must provide best practices and proofs to submit a complete application and be considered for Designation.

Affordable Best Practices. Reference the eligibility criteria above to determine how many affordable best practices your City/Town must meet to qualify for Designation.

2.1 Does your community meet the Inclusionary Zoning Best Practice?(Required)

Inclusionary Zoning: Have Inclusionary Zoning with density bonuses that provides for reasonable density increases so that housing is not unreasonably precluded. (This BP will count as TWO for RST communities with IZ policies that meet this standard.)

2.1.a Upload proof of Inclusionary Zoning(Required)

Please attach an excerpt of your local zoning or bylaws that relates to this best practice. Do NOT upload your entire zoning.

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

2.1.b Narrative about Inclusionary Zoning(Required)

Briefly describe how your community meets this best practice.

2.2 Does your community meet the 40R/40Y District Best Practice?(Required)

40R/40Y District: Have an approved 40R Smart Growth or 40Y Starter Home district that remains in compliance with programs. (This BP will count as TWO for communities that have permitted units in their approved district(s) in the last 5 years.)

2.2.a Upload documentation of 40R/40Y District(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

2.2.b Narrative about 40R/40Y District(Required)

Briefly describe how your community meets this best practice.

2.3 Does your community meet the Transit-Oriented Development Best Practice?(Required)

TOD: Have created new districts, changed zoning, or dedicated local resources to incentivize transit-oriented development OR made local investments to create/improve public transit or multi-modal options connecting housing to other areas, such as, but not limited to, multi-use paths/trails, pedestrian infrastructure, or micro-transit options (such as, but not limited to, Council on Aging or other like-transit options) in the last 5 years.

2.3.a Upload documentation of Transit-Oriented Development(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

2.3.b Narrative about Transit-Oriented Development(Required)

Briefly describe how your community meets this best practice.

2.4 Does your community meet the Housing Rehab Funding Best Practice?(Required)

Housing Rehab Funding: Have designated local resources to rehab vacant and dilapidated properties in the last 5 years, such as but not limited to: Established a local housing rehab program; Spent local funds on housing rehab (such as, but not limited to, CPA/CDBG/HOME funds); Dedicated municipal staff to promote and provide technical assistance to housing rehab; Worked with a regional entity to increase capacity to implement local rehabilitation programs.

2.4.a Upload documentation of Housing Rehab Funding(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

2.4.b Narrative about Housing Rehab Funding(Required)

Briefly describe how your community meets this best practice.

2.5 Does your community meet the Local Rehab Collaboration Best Practice?(Required)

Local Rehab Collaboration: Demonstrate at least TWO of the following in the last 5 years: Municipal staff participation in Housing Rehab Training; Promoted home efficiency or rehab programs, such as Mass Save, the Neighborhood HUB Habitat for Humanity, or other statewide housing rehabilitation programs; Worked with local organizations and home builders to complete rehabilitation projects; Other local actions to collaborate with other communities, regional entities, or other collaborative efforts that promote housing rehab.

2.5.a Upload documentation of Local Rehab Collaboration(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

2.5.b Narrative about Local Rehab Collaboration(Required)

Briefly describe how your community meets this best practice.

2.6 Does your community meet the Affordable Housing Approval Best Practice?(Required)

Affordable Housing Approval: Have a demonstrated pattern of approving housing projects that include deed restricted, affordable units in the last 5 years.

2.6.a Upload documentation of Affordable Housing Approval(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

2.6.b Narrative about Affordable Housing Approval(Required)

Briefly describe how your community meets this best practice.

2.7 Does your community meet the Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI) Best Practice?(Required)

Subsidized Housing Inventory: Demonstrate at least one of the following related to Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI): SHI units that equal or exceed 10% of total year-round housing stock according to HLC's SHI; Increased SHI units by at least 1.5% in the last 5 years. (This BP will count as TWO for communities that meet both.)

2.7.a Upload documentation of Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI)(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

2.7.b Narrative about Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI)(Required)

Briefly describe how your community meets this best practice.

2.8 Does your community meet the Local Actions that Support Housing Best Practice?(Required)

Local Actions that Support Housing: Demonstrate at least THREE of the following local actions for housing: Currently have an Affordable Housing Trust (AHT) or Community Preservation Act (CPA) Committee; Have an AHT with an active local funding program; Allocated over 10% CPA funds for housing projects in the last 5 years; Re-use or redevelopment of local donated or surplus land for housing the last 5 years; Collaboration with state agencies to promote the redevelopment of state surplus land into housing that resulted in successful RFP/Auction in the last 5 years; Adopted local option property tax relief programs for income-eligible seniors as provided for by statute (MGL c. 59 section 5) or through a home rule petition; Adopted a Community Impact Fee for short-terms rentals (MGL c 64G, section 3D) that is committed in writing to use a portion of such revenues for affordable housing; Implemented policies or initiatives to promote missing middle housing in the last 5 years; Implemented other locally identified create pro-housing strategies not listed here in the last 5 years.

2.8.a Upload documentation of Local Actions that Support Housing(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

2.8.b Narrative about Local Actions that Support Housing(Required)

Briefly describe how your community meets this best practice.

Other Best Practices. Reference the eligibility criteria above to determine how many total best practices your City/Town must meet to qualify for Designation.

2.9 Does your community meet the Multi-Family Zoning Best Practice?(Required)

Multi-Family Zoning: Have at least one multi-family zoning district OR form-based zoning that allows for multi-family housing (allowing 2 units or more, not including ADUs) as of right (in addition to any 40R or 3A district(s)) that does not restrict redevelopment by age of occupant or number of bedrooms. (This BP will count as TWO for RST communities that meet this standard.)

2.9.a Upload documentation of Multi-Family Zoning(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

2.9.b Narrative about Multi-Family Zoning(Required)

Briefly describe how your community meets this best practice.

2.10 Does your community meet the City/Town-Wide Multi-Family Zoning Best Practice?(Required)

City/Town-Wide Multi-Family Zoning: Have city- or town-wide multi-family zoning (allowing 2 units or more, not including ADUs) as of right. (This BP will count as TWO for RST communities that meet this standard.)

2.10.a Upload documentation of City/Town-Wide Multi-Family Zoning(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

2.10.b Narrative about City/Town-Wide Multi-Family Zoning(Required)

Briefly describe how your community meets this best practice.

2.11 Does your community meet the Mixed-Use Zoning Best Practice?(Required)

Mixed-Use Zoning: Have at least one zoning district that allows residential/mixed-use development as of right (which is not part of a 40R district), such as but not limited to a downtown, village center, or like district.

2.11.a Upload documentation of Mixed-Use Zoning(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

2.11.b Narrative about Mixed-Use Zoning(Required)

Briefly describe how your community meets this best practice.

2.12 Does your community meet the Cluster Development Best Practice?(Required)

Cluster Development: Have at least one zoning district that allows Cluster or Open Space Residential Development (OSRD).

2.12.a Upload documentation of Cluster Development(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

2.12.b Narrative about Cluster Development(Required)

Briefly describe how your community meets this best practice.

2.13 Does your community meet the Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) Best Practice?(Required)

Accessory Dwelling Units: Have adopted or amended local zoning bylaws since the implementation date (2/2/2025) of MGL c. 40A Section 1A and Section 3 and 760 CMR 71.00, the state's ADU law and regulations.

2.13.a Upload documentation of ADU(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

2.13.b Narrative about ADU(Required)

Briefly describe how your community meets this best practice.

2.14 Does your community meet the Zoning Incentives Best Practice?(Required)

Zoning Incentives: Demonstrate implemented at least one of the following pro-housing policies that remove zoning barriers to produce housing: Do not require more than one parking space per unit for multi-family units; Reduced minimum lot sizes and set-back rules; Allow for greater building height and density; Allow for an as-of-right Flood Plan review; Do not prohibit the construction of manufactured homes; Other local zoning changes that remove barriers to permit and promote new homes. (This BP will count as TWO for RST communities that implement two or more.)

2.14.a Upload documentation of Zoning Incentives(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

2.14.b Narrative about Zoning Incentives(Required)

Briefly describe how your community meets this best practice.

2.15 Does your community meet the Resilient Buildings Best Practice?(Required)

Resilient Buildings: Have development standards or programs that incentivize decarbonization, including energy efficiency for new construction and/or rehabilitation, such as: Low-impact development (LID) practices; Stretch Code; Renewable energy integration; Participation in the Energy Star program.

2.15.a Upload documentation of Resilient Buildings(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

2.15.b Narrative about Resilient Buildings(Required)

Briefly describe how your community meets this best practice.

2.16 Does your community meet the Climate Resiliency Planning Best Practice?(Required)

Climate Resiliency Planning: Have created or updated a climate resiliency plan in the last 5 years that includes a vulnerability assessment, adaptation strategies, mitigation actions, governance and coordination strategies, and monitoring and evaluation processes.

2.16.a Upload documentation of Climate Resiliency Planning(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

2.16.b Narrative about Climate Resiliency Planning(Required)

Briefly describe how your community meets this best practice.

2.17 Does your community meet the State-Led Housing Program Participation Best Practice?(Required)

State-Led Housing Program Participation: Participation in at least one of the following in the last 5 years: Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP); Have an Urban Center Housing Tax Increment Financing (UCH-TIF) district; Adopted or updated an Urban Renewal Plan that includes a significant housing production element; Other HLC, Mass Housing Partnership (MHP), MassHousing, MassDevelopment, or CEDAC-led program or initiative that focuses on housing production, ending homelessness, or improving community livability. (This BP will count as TWO for RST communities that participate in two or more.)

2.17.a Upload documentation of State-Led Housing Program Participation(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

2.17.b Narrative about State-Led Housing Program Participation(Required)

Briefly describe how your community meets this best practice.

2.18 Does your community meet the Housing Production Plan (HPP) Best Practice?(Required)

Housing Production Plan: Have an HLC-approved or certified Housing Production Plan (HPP) at the time of designation application. (This BP will count as TWO for certified HPPs).

2.18.a Upload documentation of Housing Production Plan(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

2.18.b Narrative about Housing Production Plan(Required)

Briefly describe how your community meets this best practice.

2.19 Does your community meet the Housing Plan Implementation Best Practice?(Required)

Housing Plan Implementation: Implemented at least THREE strategies identified in an HLC-approved HPP. (The 3 strategies must be different that the BPs listed here.)

2.19.a Upload documentation of Housing Plan Implementation(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

2.19.b Narrative about Housing Plan Implementation(Required)

Briefly describe how your community meets this best practice.

2.20 Does your community meet the Land Use Board Training Best Practice?(Required)

Land Use Board Training: Provided education and training in the last 5 years for land use board members (Planning Board, Board of Appeals, Select Board, and/or City Council) from: Citizen Planner Training Collaborative (CPTC); Massachusetts Housing Partnership’s Housing Institute; Citizens' Housing and Planning Association's (CHAPA) Housing Summit or Massachusetts Housing Leadership Academy; Community Development Partnership’s Lower Cape Housing Institute; Urban Land Institute’s (ULI’s) Urban Plan Public Leadership Institute; Southern New England American Planning Association (SNEAPA); Regional Planning Agencies (RPA).

2.20.a Upload documentation of Land Use Board Training(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

2.20.b Narrative about Land Use Board Training(Required)

Briefly describe how your community meets this best practice.

2.21 Does your community meet the Regional Collaboration Best Practice?(Required)

Regional Collaboration: Participated in a regional planning effort with other Cities and Towns OR collaborated with neighboring Cities and Towns to tackle regional matters related to housing in the last 5 years. Note that working with your RPA to conduct a municipal-specific plan does not count for this best practice.

2.21.a Upload documentation of Regional Collaboration(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

2.21.b Narrative about Regional Collaboration(Required)

Briefly describe how your community meets this best practice.

Welcome to the 2026 Rural and Small Town Housing Choice Community (RST-HCC) Designation application.

Section 1: Information About Your City/Town

STOP: Please make sure you have the following information before you continue the application.