By John Schwing

WESTPORT — There will be a wealth of discussion about “affordable housing” in Westport in the coming week.

But exactly how is affordable housing defined in a wealthy town like Westport?

Will Westport be able to meet the criteria to renew its state-sanctioned moratorium on the impact of the state’s 8-30g statute? The controversial law grants developers the right to sidestep local zoning regulations if 10 percent of a town’s overall housing inventory fails to comply with the state’s standards for affordability.

Will that even matter if the state General Assembly passes a newly proposed “Fair Share” housing law? If passed, the statute would empower the state to assign every community a certain number of affordable units to plan and zone for, based on the needs of its region.

And does Westport, as a community, really want more housing that qualifies as affordable, or would that be seen by many as a threat to the town’s character?

If so, how can the town best provide more affordable housing? Should the town play a direct role, or should it promote projects by outside agencies? Where would the housing be built? How would it be financed?

For reference, a comprehensive list of local affordable housing options was updated last July by the town’s Department of Human Services.

Also, the Western Connecticut Council of Governments, of which Westport is a member, prepared a report on regional affordable housing issues, which the town could use as a guide to its local planning.

In any case, many questions and ideas will be on the table at two forums planned over the coming week:

• On Wednesday, First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker and Planning and Zoning Commission Chairwoman Danielle Dobin will preside at what is being called a “Town of Westport Affordability Kickoff.”

The event, set for 7 p.m. in Town Hall, is open to the public “to hear about affordable housing in Westport, state requirements for the plan and the timeline for the planning process,” according to a town press statement. 

The gathering also will be livestreamed via the town’s website.

They will discuss the planning process for the five-year update to the town’s housing affordability plan, which is required under state law.

• The following Wednesday, March 23, Temple Israel will host a public forum focusing on “planning for affordability and an opportunity for public feedback on how to diversify housing in a way that works for Westport,” according to the announcement.

The event, set for 7:30 p.m., will be moderated by Temple Israel Senior Rabbi Michael S. Friedman, Rev. John Morehouse of the Unitarian Church in Westport and Rev. Heather Sinclair of the United Methodist Church of Westport and Weston. 

The program is open to the public; the synagogue is at 14 Coleytown Road.

Featured participants in the discussion will be P&Z Chairwoman Danielle Dobin and Mary Young, director of the Planning and Zoning Department.