HONE Advisory Group

To provide comments to HONE, please email planning@needhamma.gov

Appendix 7 from the Town's 2021 Housing Plan acted as a starting off point for HONE. You may review it here. 

Housing Needham (HONE) Advisory Group

The Housing Needham (HONE) Advisory Group was established jointly by the Select Board and Planning Board in 2023. The group will lead the community engagement process to create multi-family zoning that complies with the MBTA Communities Act (MGL c.40A Section 3A). The group will advise the Select Board and Planning Board on proposed zoning to bring to Town Meeting in 2024, informed by their individual expertise, group deliberations, and feedback received from the public.

The Housing Needham (HONE) Advisory Group will:

1. Lead a broad public engagement effort for the Needham community to envision and shape zoning to allow multi-family housing that complies with the MBTA Communities Act.  
2. Utilize the recommendations in the Town of Needham’s 2022 Housing plan as a starting point.  
3. Evaluate build-outs, projections, and analyses of fiscal, school enrollment, and infrastructure impacts provided by staff and consultants.   
4. Consider related zoning elements that are allowed, but not required under the MBTA Communities Act, including but not limited to inclusionary zoning (affordable housing requirements) and parking minimums. 
5. Update the Select Board, Planning Board and Finance Committee throughout the process on group deliberations and community feedback.  
6. Recommend draft zoning to the Select Board and Planning Board to submit to DHCD and Town Meeting.

Members

The Housing Needham (HONE) Advisory Group consists of nine residents. Some are appointed by the Select Board and others are appointed by the Planning Board. Each will serve through the end of 2024.