GLOUCESTER, MA – The City of Gloucester will host a Housing Compass Community Forum on Wednesday, July 29, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Rose Baker Center for Aging Well, located at 6 Manuel F. Lewis Street in Gloucester.
The forum will mark the release of the draft Housing Compass Plan and the beginning of a public comment period. Community members are invited to attend, learn about the City’s proposed approach to addressing Gloucester’s housing challenges, and share feedback on the draft recommendations.
The Housing Compass Plan will guide Gloucester’s housing policy priorities for the next five years. The draft plan is shaped by extensive data analysis of Gloucester’s demographics, housing stock, and affordability metrics, as well as a thorough community engagement process designed to ground the plan’s findings and recommendations in the lived experiences of residents, workers, families, seniors, employers, and community organizations.
The draft plan focuses on how the City can protect residents facing housing challenges, preserve housing the community can afford, and encourage housing development that fits Gloucester’s needs in appropriate locations. The event will also feature a video produced by 1623 Studios highlighting Gloucester’s housing needs and the families, workers, and seniors affected by housing challenges in the community. The forum, being offered by Art Haven, is free and family-friendly, with activities available for children.
“Housing is one of the most important challenges facing Gloucester today, and it affects every part of our community.” Said Mayor Paul Lundberg. “The Housing Compass Plan reflects months of thoughtful engagement with residents and stakeholders across Gloucester, and I’m grateful to everyone who shared their experiences and ideas. This forum is an important opportunity for the community to review the draft recommendations, provide feedback, and help shape a housing strategy that will support a more affordable and sustainable Gloucester.”
So far, the Housing Compass engagement process reached more than 550 people who live or work in Gloucester between August 2025 and April 2026. Engagement included conversations with community leaders, outreach at local events, a multilingual public survey, focus groups with housing-insecure and unhoused residents, Brazilian community members, artists and creatives, and major employers, as well as a community forum attended by approximately 100 residents.
Several key themes emerged from public input. Residents consistently described Gloucester as increasingly unaffordable and raised concerns about rising rents, limited year-round housing options, difficulty finding homes that are affordable to local incomes, and the growing challenge of staying in the community. Many participants said homeownership feels out of reach, while renters, seniors, veterans, workers, artists, and families described housing instability, limited choices, and concerns about not being able to stay in Gloucester.
Participants also emphasized the connection between housing and Gloucester’s local economy. Employers reported that high housing costs make it harder to recruit and retain workers, while artists, creatives, and small business owners described difficulty finding housing and workspaces that allow them to remain part of Gloucester’s year-round community.
In March, the City held a community forum to understand priorities for future housing development. Participants supported medium to larger multifamily and mixed-use development downtown, while favoring smaller, more attainable housing types in residential neighborhoods, such as accessory dwelling units and small multifamily homes. The strongest priorities were for housing that supports improved affordability, workforce stability, downsizing options, and cultural and economic growth.
The July 29 forum will provide an opportunity for the public to review how this input is reflected in the draft plan. A public comment period will then run through the month of August for additional feedback.
Participants are encouraged to RSVP at https://bit.ly/4olyRYe.
To learn more about the Housing Compass Plan visit the project page on the City’s website:
For questions, please contact Alex Koppelman, Community Development Director, at
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Mayor Paul Lundberg
City of Gloucester
Good Morning Gloucester 