Housing Production Plan

A Housing Production Plan (HPP) evaluates the housing needs of a community, ensuring a mix of housing types for different income levels, and helping to work towards a minimum of 10 percent of year-round housing stock being designated as affordable. By demonstrating progress and establishing affordable housing production goals, Ipswich can maintain its “safe harbor” status. This status allows the Town to deny 40B development if it does not meet local needs. 

The Town of Ipswich updated its Housing Production Plan in 2020. The 2020 Housing Production Plan can be read here: Ipswich HPP FINAL Approved 11-18-20  

To support the development of the 2020 HPP, a "Needs Assessment" for Affordable Housing in Ipswich was completed by consultants from Goldson LLC in 2019. To gather additional input, close to 70 community stakeholders with diverse interests participated in small focus groups in the spring of 2020. The materials below were prepared to guide these discussions, and also provide helpful background and information about the planning effort. 

Informational Video on Ipswich HPP

Ipswich HPP Info and Maps

Ipswich HPP Focus Group Questions

Ipswich HPP Mapping Exercise

A summary of the information discussed during the focus group conversations can be read here.

With the support of a small HPP working group, Goldson’s team revised the Needs Assessment and drafted 5-year housing goals and strategies. The goals and strategies were based on a combination of input from the housing focus groups, the public input collected through the Community Development Plan engagement process, and the consultant’s recommendations and best practices. 

At a joint meeting on September 14, 2020, Jennifer Goldson presented a final draft of the Plan to the Ipswich Select Board and Planning Board for discussion. The presentation slides can be found here. Boards, committees, community partners, and the public provided input and comments on the plan over the months of October and November.

At a joint meeting on November 16, 2020, the Select Board and Planning Board discussed the final plan and voted to approve it. It was submitted to the MA Department of Housing & Community Development on November 18, 2020. MA DHCD approved the Town's 2020 Housing Production Plan, effective November 18, 2020. See approval letter here.

For more information or questions, please contact The Planning Office 978-356-6607