A civil rights organization is seeking to force the reversal of a state-approved moratorium on affordable housing in an affluent Connecticut down.
The median household income in New Canaan, Connecticut is $214,977, and the cost of living is 30% higher than the average city in Connecticut and 50% higher than the national average.
Open Communities Alliance filed an intervenor brief that opposes the Connecticut Department of Housing’s (DOH) exemption of the Town of New Canaan from complying with a state law designed to promote affordable housing development.
According to a CTNewsJunkie.com report, Open Communities Alliance pointed to state data claiming that only 3.93% of the town’s housing units are considered affordable under state law.
Open Communities alleged New Canaan of failing to show that only low-income households occupied the units counted toward the moratorium. The town was also accused of including 80 demolished affordable housing units in its moratorium application count.
“The Affordable Housing Appeals Act permits developers to bypass local zoning regulations if a town fails to meet the affordable housing threshold [of 10%],” said Open Communities Alliance in a press statement. “However, a town can receive a four-year moratorium only if it demonstrates annual compliance by making efforts to increase its affordable housing stock, something New Canaan has not effectively demonstrated.”
“If New Canaan is allowed to secure a moratorium without providing necessary supporting evidence, it sets a precedent that could enable any town to make unfounded claims, undermining the statute’s effectiveness,” the statement added. “Additionally, allowing New Canaan to retain points for demolished affordable units contradicts the fundamental purpose of the law.”
New Canaan town officials did not publicly comment on the story. The DOH is scheduled to rule on the issue by March 2025.
Photo courtesy Town of New Haven
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