The Regional Development Suitability Model (DSM) began in 1995 as a GIS demonstration project funded by the MA Department of Housing and Community Development Grant # SP-006-95A. The results and continued development of this project have given us an innovative and exciting way of analyzing the effects of projected housing & employment growth upon the future landscape. This model is not meant to be an attempt to predict where growth will occur. Rather, it is an analysis tool that demonstrates some of the advanced uses of GIS, while allowing us to analyze some possible future development scenarios.

1990s Development Future Growth?

Model Results:
Animated Results

Model Methodology:
Purpose - Public Participation - Modeling Approach - Constraints - Factors - Scenarios
Land Allocation - Results/Conclusions