SECTION 1. Section 2 of chapter 43D of the General Laws, as amended by section 176 of chapter 238 of the acts of 2024, is hereby further amended by inserting before the definition of “Governing body” the following definition:-

"Community development plan", a comprehensive, strategic plan for the future of a city or town, which shall include, but not be limited to, a plan for: (i) new housing opportunities; (ii) any new commercial or industrial economic development; (iii) existing infrastructure that needs to serve new uses, including, but not limited to uses for water, transportation, housing or electricity; (iv) transportation infrastructure; (v) climate change and resiliency; or (vi) open space.

SECTION 2. Section 3 of said chapter 43D, as appearing in section 177 of said chapter 238, is hereby amended by striking out subsection (a) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-

(a) In order for a property to receive a designation as a priority development site, the site or infrastructure need shall: (i) be approved by a town meeting in a town; (ii) be identified in a local comprehensive master plan, housing needs assessment, economic development plan, district or corridor plan or community development plan; (iii) be identified in a local capital improvement plan or a plan developed by a regional planning agency; or (iv) be part of a project approved by the planning board or special permit granting authority. The governing body shall file a formal proposal with the interagency permitting board. The proposal shall include: (A) a detailed description of the property; (B) attestation of the governing body’s good faith commitment to comply with this chapter; (C) written authorization of the property or utility owner as applicable; and (D) at the discretion of the governing body, a request for a technical assistance grant.

SECTION 3. Said chapter 43D is hereby further amended by inserting after section 13 the following section:-

Section 13A. (a) Technical assistance funding is intended to be a one-time grant to municipality, if the municipality has adopted expedited permitting as provided in sections 3 to 11, inclusive.

(b) A municipality shall be eligible for technical assistance funding, which may be less than the previous amounts awarded, for a second time if it has identified and successfully permitted 1 priority development site.

(c) The secretaries of the executive office of housing and livable communities, the executive office of economic development and the executive office of energy and environmental affairs, collectively, shall develop and implement a 2-year program to provide technical assistance and resources to cities and towns for the purpose of creating community development plans. Such assistance may include the provision of in-kind services or discretionary funds where appropriate.