Affordable Housing Safe Harbor strategy
Town must secure ~238 new subsidized units in 14 months to retain local zoning control under Chapter 40B.
The Select Board adopted a formal strategy on April 21, 2026, to reach 10% subsidized housing inventory within 14 months and thereby secure Safe Harbor protection under Chapter 40B. Subsequent meetings reaffirmed the goal and assigned staff to produce an actionable plan. The effort balances the legal imperative for local zoning control against resident concerns over infrastructure and service costs.
Plymouth's subsidized housing inventory stood at 8.42% of the 2020 census baseline when the Select Board first considered a formal Safe Harbor strategy on April 21, 2026. The board unanimously adopted a targeted approach to reach the 10% threshold at 80% AMI, which would shield the town from Chapter 40B developments that bypass local zoning. This decision established the proactive pursuit of roughly 238 additional units as official town policy.
On May 5, 2026, the board reaffirmed the April 21 strategy during a joint session and directed staff to continue implementation, noting the need to exceed 10% before the 2030 census reset. Public discussion highlighted workforce housing gaps and the creation of a new Affordable Housing and Community Development Division to coordinate efforts.
By June 23, 2026, residents and board members referenced the upcoming June 30 discussion on the 10% strategy while debating related land-use matters, underscoring the linkage between housing goals and development pressures. The June 30 meeting featured a detailed progress report from the Assistant Town Manager, who outlined the 238-unit shortfall and the legal protections of Safe Harbor status.
The board reached consensus to advance an active plan within the remaining 14 months, directing Planning and Development staff to identify developer partnerships and prioritize infrastructure-supported sites. Residents voiced competing concerns about infrastructure capacity versus the risk of losing local control to unwanted 40B projects if the deadline is missed.
On June 10, 2026, the Planning Board unanimously approved the joint market-rate and affordable housing components for Use Area 17 in the Redbrook development, subject to conditions requiring sidewalk connectivity and a six-month post-completion parking review. The session also addressed resident objections to affordable-unit density and location within the Village Green.
Planning and Development staff will develop an active plan to achieve the 10% goal within 14 months and will bring potential developer partnerships back to the Board for discussion.
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