© 2024 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WECS · WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM · WVOF
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Advocates say New London is in “crisis” for affordable housing

U.S. Department Of Housing And Urban Development

The New London Homeless Hospitality Center has seen more people use its temporary shelter since the pandemic began. They might be in between apartments or have left their home.

Cathy Zall, the center’s executive director, said people are unable to move back into homes, because they’re being priced out of the market. She said it points to a growing “crisis” for the city and the state.

“We’ve just simply not built enough new housing for many many decades,” Zall said. “What is in place is getting more expensive, what used to be affordable is getting upgraded, so to speak, or converted into higher priced housing and the pipeline of new affordable housing is just miniscule. That combination of factors is just putting a huge crush on low-income individuals.”

The average rent in Connecticut has increased about 12% over the last 18 months, while nationally rent prices have risen around 18%. And homeowners, who have sold their property but haven’t found their next house, are opting to rent instead, while they wait for more homes or favorable mortgage rates to become available.

Several Connecticut towns have seen residents signing petitions or mounting legal challenges to change zoning codes to allow for more accessory apartments, or build more affordable, multi-family housing.

Opponents of new construction said the density of new properties will change the look and feel of their towns. They worry more families will strain municipal services and schools.

Polling of Connecticut voters shows inflation and economic uncertainty around energy costs are top of mind in this November’s midterm elections.

But the situation of housing insecurity isn’t helped by people’s stigma around affordable housing in their neighborhoods, Zall said.

“I don’t know where this sort of, kind of deep fear of affordable housing came from, because if you think about the history, we always had neighborhoods that had poor people and richer people,” she said. “We didn’t have this sense of creating these gated communities, where I needed to create these walls around myself to be safe, so to speak. ”

Copyright 2022 WSHU. To see more, visit WSHU.

Brian Scott-Smith

Stand up for civility

This news story is funded in large part by Connecticut Public’s Members — listeners, viewers, and readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. As a community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years.

Your donation today will allow us to continue this work on your behalf. Give today at any amount and join the 50,000 members who are building a better—and more civil—Connecticut to live, work, and play.

Related Content
Connecticut Public’s journalism is made possible, in part by funding from Jeffrey Hoffman and Robert Jaeger.