Tools
American Housing Survey
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentSurvey data collected by the U.S. government on housing
Preserving, Protecting and Expanding Affordable Housing
Change Lab SolutionsThe toolkit provides information on housing market trends and research on the links between rising housing costs and poor health outcomes.
Massachusetts Housing Toolbox
Massachusetts Housing Partnership and CHAPAThis website explains strategies that local officials and volunteers can use to garner support for affordable housing
How Housing Matters
Urban Land Institute, MacArthur FoundationWebsite showcases research demonstrating the importance of affordable housing
Community Development Data Guidebook
Federal Reserve Bank of San FranciscoThis how-to guide explains community development data available, how it can be retrieved, and how it can be used
Collective Impact Warm-Up Exercises for Meetings
Collective Impact ForumCompendium of warm-up exercises for group and community meetings
Community Heart and Soul Field Guide
Orton Family FoundationGuide offers step-by-step instructions on how to engage and motivate residents to take an active role in shaping the future of their communities
Beautiful Solutions
Ideas and strategies for building just, democratic, and resilient communities from all over the world. An initiative started because of Naomi Klein's book, This Changes Everything
My Mass Mortgage
Citizens' Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA)CHAPA designed this website to help new homebuyers understand all the steps of the homebuying process in Massachusetts
Fair Housing Toolkit
Metropolitan Area Planning CouncilThe Fair Housing Toolkit brings together available resources to help appointed and elected leaders, municipal planning, housing and development officials, developers, citizen board members, and other volunteers understand how to affirmatively further fair housing.
Managing Neighborhood Change: Anti-Displacement Strategies Toolkit
Metropolitan Area Planning CouncilThis toolkit is based on a comprehensive literature review of academic and non-academic reports released over the last 10 years.
Staffing Tips and Tools
Local Initiatives Support CorporationA safety organizer or coordinator can be the glue needed to hold complex community safety partnerships together. These tools can help you structure this type of position and find the right person for the job.
Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design
Local Initiatives Support CorporationCrime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) is a methodology that directly addresses the relationship between the physical environment and the incidence of crime.
Sample Community Agreements & Memorandum of Understandin
Local Initiatives Support CorporationIn seeking to change the practices of businesses and residential properties which are complicit in illegal activity, or which contribute to disorder (such as by selling drug paraphernalia or high-alcohol content beverages), a number of community safety partnerships have used Good Neighbor Agreements.
Low Impact Development Toolkit
Metropolitan Area Planning CouncilDevelopment methods including rain gardens, bioretention, pervious pavement, and green roofs. The toolkit also includes model bylaw language and an LID codes checklist.
Mixed Use Zoning Toolkit
Metropolitan Area Planning CouncilThis basic guide to mixed use zoning presents the fundamentals you need to plan a mixed use bylaw.
Pre-Development Design Toolkit
EnterpriseThis toolkit will guide you through seven steps to take during the pre-development phase, each of which will help you better design your affordable housing development.
Community Survey Templates
Local Initiatives Support CorporationChecklist and survey templates for you to use door to door.
Customizable Census Data
American Community SurveyCreate unique data and infographic reports for your neighborhood.