The City of Rockland has completed a comprehensive Housing Plan designed to guide local housing policy, investment, and development efforts over the next decade. The plan comes as the community responds to growing housing needs and changing market conditions. The plan was presented to City Council by Jeff Levine, of Levine Planning Strategies, during the May 18 Special Meeting.

According to the City, in a news release, the plan, developed with support from Levine Planning Strategies and Community Scale and the city's first comprehensive housing study since 2011, provides a detailed assessment of Rockland's current housing market, projected housing needs, and policy recommendations intended to help preserve Rockland as an accessible and inclusive community for residents of all income levels.

"This plan gives Rockland a clear framework for how we can responsibly address one of the most important challenges facing our community," said Mayor Adam Lachman, in the news release. "Housing accessibility and affordability impacts families, workers, employers, seniors, and the long-term health of our city. Rockland has already taken meaningful steps, and this plan helps chart a path forward for the next decade."

The plan identifies a need for approximately 540 new housing units in Rockland by 2030 - roughly 60 new units per year - to meet projected housing demand and to stabilize rising housing costs.

According to the City, the report highlights the increasing gap between local incomes and housing costs, noting that median home prices in Rockland and costs have risen dramatically since 2020. The plan emphasizes the importance of workforce housing for people employed in industries that are essential to the community, including healthcare, education, retail, public safety, fishing, construction, and service-sector jobs.

 

Among the plan's recommendations are:

The plan builds on recent actions already taken by the City, including updates to City zoning intended to encourage housing production and the voter-approved $10 million housing bond approved in 2025.

"The Housing Plan recognizes that affordable housing is directly connected to the city's workforce and economic future," said City Manager Tom Luttrell "Many working households in Rockland, including teachers, healthcare workers, retail employees, tradespeople, and public services workers, are struggling to find housing they can afford”.

The Housing Plan will now serve as a guiding document for future city decisions, infrastructure planning, housing investments, and partnerships with employers, workforce housing developers, and housing organizations.