[Massplanners] DHCD Announcement: Housing Choice Communities Designation Application is Live Now

[Zamborlini, Filipe (OCD)]

Dear MassPlanners,

The 2022 application for Housing Choice designation is now live at 2022 Housing Choice Designation Application  | Mass.gov<https://www.mass.gov/how-to/2022-housing-choice-designation-application>!

The Housing Choice Initiative rewards municipalities that have produced certain rates or amounts of new housing units in the last five years and that adopted best practices related to housing production that will sustain a 21st century workforce and increase access to opportunity for Massachusetts residents. Communities that achieve the Housing Choice Community designation have exclusive access to apply for the Housing Choice Grant Program and receive bonus points or other considerations to certain state grant programs.

This year, a few notable changes are being implemented:


  *   Housing Choice Grant Cool-Off Period: We are eliminating this grant requirement, designated communities will no longer have to wait 1-year after receiving a Housing Choice Grant program but will be eligible to apply in the immediately following grant period. E.G.: municipality receiving an FY22 HC grant CAN apply for an FY23 grant.
  *   5-Year Designation: The Housing Choice Designation is extended from 2 to 5 years. Currently designated communities<https://www.mass.gov/info-details/housing-choice-designation> that received designation in 2020 and 2021 will NOT need to re-designate and will have their designations extended until 2025 and 2026 respectively. These communities DO NOT need to apply and DHCD has reached out to them to inform of their designation extension.
  *   Designation start and end dates: All designations will start and end on the due date for designation applications. This will ensure that no designated community will lapse in designation until their re-designation application is submitted.

If you have any specific questions regarding Housing Choice Designation, please send an email to Chris.Kluchman at mass.gov<mailto:Chris.Kluchman at mass.gov> and Filipe.Zamborlini at mass.gov<mailto:Filipe.Zamborlini at mass.gov>. We are looking forward to receiving new designation applications from interested communities.

Reminder: application for grants offered exclusively through the Community One Stop for Growth<https://www.mass.gov/guides/community-one-stop-for-growth>, including Housing Choice Grant Program, is also live! If you choose to, you can still submit an Expression of Interest<https://www.mass.gov/info-details/community-one-stop-for-growth-expression-of-interest> prior to submitting a full application. If you have One Stop specific questions, we encourage you to review materials online at Community One Stop for Growth | Mass.gov<https://www.mass.gov/guides/community-one-stop-for-growth>, register for an upcoming One Stop webinar<https://www.mass.gov/guides/community-one-stop-for-growth#-virtual-sessions-(webinars)->, and send your questions to OneStop at mass.gov<mailto:OneStop at mass.gov>.

Best,
Filipe

Filipe Zamborlini
Community Grants Coordinator, Community Services Division
Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD)
100 Cambridge Street, Suite 300
Boston, MA  02114
filipe.zamborlini at mass.gov<mailto:filipe.zamborlini at mass.gov>

Please note: DHCD staff are working remotely, I check email frequently and will respond as soon as possible.

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