In Connecticut, state policies surrounding guidelines for new housing across the state can vary across different communities.
A new partnership between Connecticut nonprofit, The Housing Collective and the NYU Furman Center Housing Solutions Lab, is aimed at streamlining the process.
Together, they’ve created a new project, Afford CT, which will help bridge the gap between Connecticut law, expectations for housing production and what local leaders are equipped to provide, according to Mark McNulty with The Housing Collective.
“Those statewide policy frameworks you know provide objectives and goals,” McNulty said. “But they don't necessarily provide every step in between for how the folks on the ground are supposed to reach those goals and the actions they can take through things like their housing growth plans to reach those goals.”
Housing growth plans were mandated for each municipality or Council of Governments (COGs) by a sweeping state housing law passed last year during the legislature’s special session. The five-year plans must be completed by June 2028.
“We want to convene all of the different players and practitioners that are working on and impacted by those regional housing markets, and understand what they need in terms of data and resources to help them achieve their goals,” McNulty said.
The partnership between NYU and the Housing Collective will begin with listening workshops early next year, where state, local and regional officials can outline their needs and challenges in outlining and implementing practices such as expanding housing or improving existing housing, McNulty said.
Reports produced through the partnership may focus on ways to preserve existing housing or produce more.
“Some of the results will be written reports on housing growth and preservation strategy,” McNulty said. “We also want to do peer learning and training sessions for planners and practitioners on how to implement policy.”
With The Housing Collective and a statewide project advisory group, the Housing Solutions Lab will translate housing research, national best practices and Connecticut data into guides that are informed by the experience and priorities of Connecticut workers.
The one year partnership is funded with congressionally directed spending through the Office of Planning Research and Evaluation.
“One of the biggest concerns I hear from people across Connecticut is the difficulty of finding affordable housing options,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal said. “With this $723,000 in federal funding, the Housing Collective will support the coordination and implementation of housing policies to help more people in Connecticut find the resources they need to access safe and affordable homes.”
