Discusses Affordable Housing
To the Editor:
Newtown needs a housing affordability plan to address its housing needs in a more organized way. At present, developers can initiate affordable housing projects under a state program popularly known as 8-30(g). Because that program smooths the path to local approval by removing many considerations normally evaluated by local Planning & Zoning Commissions, these developments frustrate the public and lead to a feeling of loss of control. Although I personally favor affordable housing for Newtown and think there’s a real need for opening more of our housing market to young families, seniors, and single persons, many of whom who want to live here or want to stay, I do believe the present state of residential development can be too disruptive.
Ironically, the 8-30(g) program itself provides a mechanism to perhaps cure this problem. A town that has increased its percentage of affordable housing to a certain level can petition the state for a moratorium on further developments under the program while the town pursues its own approved housing affordability plan. Although the plan may not affect an in-process project like the one proposed on Berkshire Road, we need such a plan so that the town can control more of the characteristics of our affordable housing than 8-30(g) allows. At the very least we need to have a community conversation to see if we can reach a consensus before we have more projects imposed on us.
The Town is currently finalizing its Plan of Conservation and Development. While the POCD does discuss housing, it is one of many topics legally required to be covered and it simply cannot give our housing market the full exploration it deserves. We, as a community, need to do a deep dive and come up with a plan and a policy or re-evaluate whatever plan we think we have.
I urge the First Selectman and the Board of Selectmen to consider the creation of an ad hoc Housing Affordability Committee, made up of local officials and citizens with background and interest, to come up with a plan in the next few months. Such a Committee would not overburden our existing Boards and Commissions during a busy and critical town budget season and would be able to bring in state and local experts to provide perspective and context. It’s a good start with an excellent upside. Please express your support.
This letter expresses my personal opinions, not those of the Planning and Zoning Commission, of which I am an alternate member, nor of the Fairfield Hills Authority, of which I am a member.
Peter Schwarz
Newtown
I want to clarify something that was not clear in my letter. Newtown DOES have an affordable housing plan, put together with the aid of the Council of Governments (COG) in 2022 and approved by the LC that year. The strategies in that plan are to “encourage”, “support”, “explore”, “promote” various aspects of state and local affordable housing programs. Those strategies are largely repeated in the Housing Chapter of the Plan of Conservation and Development being finalized now. Newtown needs to measure its performance against those strategies and refine them to reflect the current situation and evaluate whether we are eligible for a moratorium on 8-30(g) projects if we have met the criteria. It’s a question of being more specific and more rigorous in what we as a community would like to see to address this real and serious need, rather than to be on our heels when a developer proposes a project on their terms. An independent look outside the application process would be best for that. Thank you. Peter.
The town should certainly measure its performance against the statewide strategies. Unless I missed it I only know of one small cluster of homes that would meet the affordable housing program. Given the 500 or so new units being added in the last 10 years I think that 4/500 would not meet the metric to allow for a moratorium. I mean, fingers crossed for a Christmas miracle but I suspect we will see a few 8-30’s sent our way in a method to avoid the Nimby mob. Thanks, Nimby mob.