By John Schwing
WESTPORT — Affordable housing.
There’s a lot to talk about. So members of the Representative Town Meeting have planned a public forum May 17 on the complex topic to provide an update on local and state initiatives.
A “community conversation” on affordable housing, the second organized by the RTM in less than three months, will take place online-only at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 17. To access the Zoom link, click here.
Among those scheduled to lead the discussion are state Sen. Ceci Maher, D-26, state Rep. Jonathan Steinberg, D-Westport, Planning and Zoning Commission Chairwoman Danielle Dobin, RTM P&Z Committee Chairman Matthew Mandell and Westport Housing Authority Executive Director Carol Martin.
The discussion will unfold after Westport’s moratorium to the controversial 8-30g affordable housing law expired in early March. And the town’s prospects of qualifying for a new moratorium currently do not appear bright, since its deed-restricted inventory of “affordable housing,” as defined by state criteria, falls short of the 10 percent threshold needed to be exempt from the law.
Communities where less than 10 percent of the housing stock is considered affordable are vulnerable to challenges from developers who are granted more leeway with multi-unit projects, with affordable set-asides, than standard zoning rules would allow.
The law has provoked widespread discussion — and contention — locally and across the state since it was adopted in 1989 as a tool to promote the development of more affordable housing.
In the current General Assembly session, several controversial bills designed to promote creation of more affordable housing across the state are under consideration, including the “Fair Share” and “Work Live Ride” proposals.
Locally, Westport zoning officials last June adopted a state-mandated, five-year affordable housing plan. Since then, the P&Z’s Affordable Housing Subcommittee has been exploring potential steps toward meeting the report’s goals.
The group’s discussion has focused on possible development of a cluster of all-affordable units on the town-owned Linxweiler property on Post Road East, as well as establishing a trust fund to help finance affordable housing projects in town.
No final decisions, however, have been made on any local initiatives so far.
John Schwing, the Westport Journal consulting editor, has held senior editorial and writing posts at southwestern Connecticut media outlets for four decades. Learn more about us here.
It is puzzling to me why affordable housing advocates continue to use 8-30g as their leverage, when in fact this law is a guarantee for abuse and exploitation. We have all heard from members of the chorus, who tout the 8-30g law, which was ” adopted in 1989 as a tool to promote the development of more affordable housing” , and to situate more affordable housing across the State of CT.
We’ve come to realize that 8-30g is a case of profit over purpose.
We have seen specifically here in Westport how 8-30g is presented as ” meeting a need”, but now we know this “need” disguises “pure greed”, And it is greed which drives many of the applications for housing development.
8-30g is the dream law of a certain breed of developers and lawyers unwilling to accept legitimate land use limits and considerations.
Truly indicative of this 8-30g greed over need application, is proposing that the “affordable units” be placed off-site, separated away from any proposed new development How can this be ethically acceptable? It happens because it is economically acceptable for the developer. and their legal team
How does this separate but equal falsehood continue to be part of any 8-30g application.
Lesson learned for all of us. It’s all about the money.
Community conversations about this subject should at least have one community resident without a lofty title but a tough, direct experience with the abuses of 8-30g….