Housing Planning

The Town of Belmont works to address the community's housing needs, including supporting the development and preservation of affordable housing opportunities by non-profit and for-profit developers, developing initiatives to expand the Town's stock of affordable housing, monitor existing affordable housing units, and partnering with other departments to administer affordable housing.

The Planning Division supports affordable housing by working alongside:

What is affordable housing?

Affordable housing is generally defined as a ratio between household income and the cost of housing. HUD identifies housing as affordable when the gross rent (including the cost of utilities) is no more than 30% of the household's net adjusted income or if the costs of purchasing a home is under 30% of household income. Many affordable housing units here in Belmont are formal units that are required to maintain their affordability through recorded agreements or deed restrictions. These formal units are also listed with the Commonwealth on our Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI).

What is the Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI)?
The Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI) is a formal list monitored by the Commonwealth's Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) tracking the number of Affordable Housing rental and ownership units a municipality maintains. It is also used to track a municipality’s progress toward the goal to have at least 10% of its housing stock qualify as formal affordable units. This is mandated by M.G.L. c. 40B. To count these units on the SHI, the developer must prepare and submit an application to EOHLC. To maintain these units on the SHI, the Town or monitoring agent must confirm the units annually for affordability.

Town Initiatives to Further Affordable Housing

The Planning Division works alongside the Trust and other Town Boards to support the community's need for affordable housing in Belmont. The Trust has made progress on furthering affordable housing in Belmont through:
  • Passing the Housing Production Plan in 2023;
  • Supporting the MBTA Communities Overlay;
  • Negotiating the next McLean development plan, with zoning updates, in response to the needs of Belmont residents;
  • Establishing Inclusionary Zoning (Sect 6.10) requirements for new developments; and,
  • Supporting the adoption of an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) bylaw.