Town of Canton’s Housing Production Plan Receives State Approval

CANTON — The Canton Select Board and Town Administrator Charles Doody are pleased to announce that the state’s Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) has approved the Canton Housing Production Plan (HPP).

An HPP is a state-recognized planning tool that, under certain circumstances, permits municipalities to influence the location, type, and pace of affordable housing development. The Canton HPP establishes a roadmap for both preservation and production of affordable, mixed-income, and housing options in Canton based on broad community input, a comprehensive housing needs assessment, and an understanding of development constraints.

Canton’s HPP has been prepared in accordance with EOHLC requirements. The HPP went into effect on March 25, 2025. It has a five-year term and will expire on March 24, 2030.

“I applaud your efforts to plan for the housing needs of Canton,” wrote Caroline “Chris” Kluchman, Director of the state’s Livable Communities Division.

Meeting the Minimum

The Commonwealth has set a goal for all Massachusetts municipalities: to have a minimum of 10 percent of year-round housing units affordable to low/moderate income households or affordable housing on at least 1.5 percent of the total land area.

As of November 2024, Canton has 12.1% of units listed on the Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI), based on the 2024 EOHLC’s Inventory count of 9,875 total year-round units. With 1,197 units included on the SHI, Canton has surpassed the state’s 10% threshold.

That percentage, however, can change, based on evolving Census data. Newly released Census figures indicate that Canton will remain above the minimum 10% threshold.

“The overall goal is to keep what they call the Subsidized Housing Inventory above the goal of 10%,” said Kevin Shea, Housing Coordinator for the Town of Canton. “That lets each community regulate its own land use policies and regulations. The trick is to keep it up.” 

Going forward, the Town will uphold a developer’s denial of Comprehensive Permits if the applications are not consistent with local needs, as outlined in this plan.

Critical Need

The HPP acknowledges that housing is a critical need in Canton.

“Many residents are unable to keep up with the rising costs of housing,” according to the plan. “This is especially true for young adults, seniors, and disabled residents on fixed incomes.”

The phrase “affordable housing” is defined by housing professionals as an occupant paying 30% or less of their gross income toward housing costs. To calculate what would be considered affordable housing in a region, planners use households earning 80% of the average income in that region or less. A household of four people earning less than $130,250 in Canton could qualify for affordable housing.

“The median value of a home in Canton is around $850,000,” said Housing Coordinator Shea. “It’s getting very hard for most residents to afford the rents or to buy a home here.”

State regulations, including the MBTA Communities Act, helped drive the need to complete the HPP. Two years ago, Canton voters designated an MBTA overlay district, which has been in place since last May. The area, primarily around Canton Junction, already has at least one project proposed — it’s currently before the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Planning Board for site plan review.

Moving Forward 

Canton is bracketed by I-93 on the north, I-95 on the west, and Route 24 on the east, but most of these roadways are outside Town boundaries. The highways provide access to major markets and employment centers in Boston and southeastern Massachusetts, making Canton a desirable home base for metro commuters.

Route 138 bisects the Town from north to south and is the main commercial and industrial street in Canton, providing access to Sharon and Stoughton to the south. The Canton Department of Public Works manages 159 road miles in the Town. Canton is also served by the MBTA Commuter Rail with service to Boston from two train stations. And there are 41 miles of sidewalk in Canton, bordering approximately 39 percent of all roads.

Approval of Canton’s HPP allows the Town to request EOHLC’s Certification of Municipal Compliance when units of SHI Eligible Housing have been produced during one calendar year. To hit that target, SHI Eligible Housing units must total at least 0.5% (49 units for a one-year certification) or 1% (99 units for a two-year certification) of year-round housing units.

The Town of Canton has several organizations that focus on supporting community housing, including local government entities and nonprofit organizations, as well as regional agencies that facilitate housing initiatives.

The Canton Housing Authority (CHA) “is committed to serving our community’s low-income housing needs.” The CHA strives “to maintain, clean, safe, and affordable housing for low-income elderly, family, and disabled households” and provides state-aided public housing for family, elderly, and disabled residents. Governed by a board of five commissioners, the CHA operates 247 dwelling units in 43 buildings in Canton.

“Canton residents should have the opportunity to stay in town, if they want to,” said Town Administrator Doody. “We’re doing the best we can to make Canton an affordable place to live, while maintaining the highest possible quality-of-life standards.”

Canton adopted the Community Preservation Act in 2012 at a surcharge of 1%. The Community Preservation Committee, made up of nine members, oversees the distribution of the funds, which have totaled nearly $6 million since the program was introduced.

The HPP should bolster local efforts to increase Canton’s affordable housing inventory, while preserving the Town’s character and livability. 

“This housing plan will help our local government provide more affordable housing opportunities for residents and those looking to move to our Town,” said Michael C. Loughran, who serves as Select Board Chair, and also Chair of Canton’s Affordable Housing Trust. “We’re all working together to lower the cost of housing in Canton. This plan should make the whole process a little bit easier and far more transparent.”

To read the entire HPP, click here. 

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