Local residents are helping shape the future of housing in town as officials work to develop Charlton’s first Housing Production Plan, an effort supported through a state Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Planning Assistance Grant.

As part of the planning process, the town’s Housing Production Plan Committee, in collaboration with the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC), hosted two public forums in March to gather input from community members.

The sessions featured presentations, question-and-answer discussions, and interactive exercises designed to better understand local housing needs. Residents participated in a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis and small-group breakout discussions focused on different housing types.

Participants also took part in a visual exercise, placing color-coded dots on images representing various housing options to indicate which types they felt were most needed — and which were less desirable. Organizers said the feedback highlighted a strong interest in housing solutions that would allow residents to age in place while remaining in the community.

Insights gathered from the forums will help guide the development of Charlton’s Housing Production Plan, which aims to identify strategies for meeting current and future housing needs while preserving the character of the town.