Housing Toolbox

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The Housing Toolbox for Massachusetts Communities is designed to be a one-stop resource for local boards, committees, planners, municipal staff and volunteers.

Developed by MHP and the Citizens' Housing and Planning Association, www.housingtoolbox.org explains how to create and execute an effective affordable housing strategy. It is part of the Baker-Polito Administration's ongoing efforts to help municipalities become partners in increasing the state's housing production.

The toolbox is organized in six sections. It begins with Assessing Needs and continues with sections on building Local Support and understanding the importance of Land Use. It then moves into a section that explains Fair Housing laws and how to administer them, and finishes with overviews of the Development Process and Financing and Funding.

Included in each section are links to guidebooks and resource materials on a wide range of topics from how to use Community Preservation Act funds and how to set up and administer an effective Municipal Affordable Housing Trust.

This Housing Toolbox is a redesign of a site originally created and launched by CHAPA, MHP and the National Housing Conference in 2011. This new site is more comprehensive, and is designed to be more user friendly and adaptable to desktop, tablet, or phone.

The Housing Toolbox is also designed to be responsive to community needs and can be updated regularly. If you have any questions about this site, can't find what you need or have a suggestion, please email MHP Program Manager Emma McGurren at emcgurren@mhp.net.