Across Fairfield County, older white men who own their homes make most decisions about where housing goes and who gets to build it, according to a new study. The same is true for New London County, the study found.
A new report by the Centers for Housing Opportunity analyzed the gender, race, age and homeownership status of members of local land use boards.
Having people from different backgrounds on a board ensures representation, according to the nonprofit’s chief initiative officer, Melissa Kaplan-Macey.
“If we have folks coming from a lot of different perspectives, we'll have outcomes that reflect the needs and desires of all of us in a community,” Kaplan-Macey said, “and that's for the better for everyone.”
The study found disparities in representation are similar in both Fairfield and New London counties.
In Fairfield County, 94% of land use board members are white, despite only 58% of the area’s residents being white, according to the report.
New London County’s land use board makeup is 97% white, while its population is 73% white, according to the report.
In both regions, land use board members also skew older than the general population, with the typical member now in their early 60s, the study found.
“We were thinking that we would see some differentiation between these two parts of the state, and the fact that we didn't, I think, was really telling,” Kaplan-Macey said. “It does give us a picture of, potentially, what our state looks like.”
Gender diversity is also lacking, the study found. While both Fairfield and New London counties have a majority female population, the land use board members in both regions are about 70% male, according to the group’s report.
The report also considered whether board members were homeowners or renters. With both Fairfield and New London counties having majority homeowners, the land use board members for both areas were more than 90% homeowners.
Land use boards include planning and zoning commissions and zoning boards of appeals. Such bodies approve proposed developments and new zoning codes for their municipalities.
“To simplify that, what's allowed to be built, where, in what ways. How the landscape is shaped is determined by these boards,” Kaplan-Macey said.
Along with setting a baseline for where representation stands among local land use boards, one of the goals of the report was to outline ways in which municipalities can increase participation and diversity.
Board meetings are often designed in a way that makes it difficult for certain groups to become involved, requiring long nights and a deep knowledge of local zoning.
“The way we structure these meetings, the responsibilities of these volunteers, only works for a very small subset of the population,” Kaplan-Macey said. “Getting involved in your local government, there just aren't as many obvious access points.”
Kaplan-Macey recommended municipalities increase participation by creating a simplified description of the board responsibilities and providing child care to make it easier for members.
Important decisions are being made without the voices of those most impacted, according to Chelsea Ross, executive director of nonprofit Partnership for Strong Communities.
“We have an urgent opportunity to reimagine participation—not as a privilege for a few, but as a shared responsibility and a pathway to more equitable, inclusive, and strong communities across our state,” Ross said.
