Regional Housing Planning Initiative 

The Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC) Community Development and Planning Staff (CDAP) requested District Local Technical Assistance (DLTA) resources from the CMRPC Physical Development Committee to perform general background planning that would lay the groundwork for the development of a regional housing plan.

Over the course of 2014, CDAP staff accomplished the following which is described further in this memo:

• Reviewed model regional housing plans and began compiling available housing data for the region
• Developed an initial outline for a CMRPC regional housing plan
• Facilitated two focused discussions with municipal leaders and housing advocates. These wereconversations that explored the need for a regional housing plan.
• Surveyed municipal leaders and housing advocates on current housing development conditions, perspectives, and challenges.
• Participated in the development of Massachusetts Housing Partnership’s (MHP’s) White Paper on Rural Housing in Massachusetts
• Began conversations with Town of Hardwick and the City of Worcester on the role of CMRPC in subregional housing planning.

In addition, this memo presents several suggestions for next steps that CMRPC may take in 2015.

 The complete 2014 Housing Planning Summary (with survey summary) can be found here.