Events

MHP will offer three, 50-minute, virtual trainings on Thursday, September 21, 2023 to support local affordable housing efforts.

The trainings are geared toward those involved with affordable housing trust funds and communities interested in establishing a housing trust.

The trainings are free. Registration is required, but only needed once for all three sessions. Register now.

Session 1: 12:00-12:50pm - Establishing an affordable housing trust fund

What does it take to establish an affordable housing trust fund? Learn from Sierra Simmons (member of the Southampton Housing Authority and Community Preservation Committee) about how Southampton went from an idea to successful passage of a housing trust bylaw at Town Meeting.

Session 2: 1:00-1:50pm - Getting started: creating a mission statement, identifying goals and strategies.

Without thoughtful planning, communities can struggle to use affordable housing trusts to make an impact. In this session, MHP's Shelly Goehring will present a framework to support your trust planning along with examples from communities around the state.

Session 3: 2:00-2:50pm - Supporting affordable housing development

Development is key to addressing our housing crisis and there are many ways that housing trusts can support housing creation. We will touch on community engagement and advocacy, zoning, and using municipal parcels for housing development. Caitlin Madden, executive director of Metro West Collaborative Development, will share how Medway's trust provided active and sustained support of their Glen Brook Way Apartments in town.

Contact MHP's Shelly Goehring at sgoehring@mhp.net with any questions.

Virtual format and in-person

The 16th annual Housing Institute year took place this year on Wednesday, June 14 in a virtual format and Thursday, June 15 in person at Springhill Suites at Devens Common Center, 27 Andrews Parkway, Devens, MA.

Geared toward officials, volunteers and employees in suburban and rural communities, the Housing Institute is a two-day intensive training that engages participants in discussion and problem-solving activities related to the development of affordable housing in Massachusetts.

MHP is hosting nine interactive webinars this fall on MBTA zoning and how communities can design districts that meet their needs, encourage housing near transit and comply with the new law.

Due to a rise in COVID-19, the 2022 MHP Housing Institute was held virtually on June 7 and June 8. The theme of this year's event was "Complete Neighborhoods: It all starts with home." Sessions focused on creating affordable housing that is closer to transit and daily needs, and how sound housing policies can help the Commonwealth address a range of related issues such as the economy, equity, public health, climate and transportation. In addition, MHP’s Center for Housing Data (CHD) unveiled "Residensity," a new tool that uses a statewide database to estimate residential units and lot-level residential density for every parcel in the Commonwealth. Click on the headline for the Housing Institute video and materials.

Missed our Community Assistance team's four-part webinar series in March 2022 on how communities can use Community Preservation Act funds and housing trusts to support affordable housing? Videos of each sessions and the presentations are now online.

MHP held a webinar to explain the Complete Neighborhoods Partnership (CNP), which is part of an MHP initiative that supports walkable neighborhoods near transit in MBTA communities and across the state. CNP is seeking up to six communities or regions to receive targeted, long-term assistance that will be provided by MHP staff and/or third-party consultants, Support will be for activities such as planning, community engagement, predevelopment, and financial analysis. Check out the 30-minute video, the presentation and email MHP'S Christine Madore at cmadore@mhp.net.

Watch the webinar video

Complete Neighborhoods Partnership presentation