Editor’s note: below is an opinion from Westporter Dennis Ray. His 33-year-old daughter is on the spectrum; his six-year search for a nearby home for her has been fruitless.

First Selectman Kevin Christie,

I want to commend you and the Town for launching the Affordable Housing Committee Information Hub. Increasing transparency and community engagement around housing is an important and necessary step.

That said, I believe the current framing of Westport’s affordable housing efforts overlooks a critically important and highly vulnerable constituency: adult children with disabilities and their families.

This group faces a uniquely urgent housing crisis that is not adequately addressed in traditional affordable housing models.

Many Westport families are quietly struggling with questions such as:

  • Where will my child live when I am no longer able to care for them?
  • How can they remain in the community where they were raised?
  • What options exist that are both supportive and financially attainable?

At present, the answers are limited at best.

While the Committee’s stated mandate includes studying need and identifying sites, it is essential that this population be explicitly recognized as a priority segment within that work. Adults with disabilities often require:

  • Supportive or semi-independent living environments
  • Access to transportation and community services
  • Stable, long-term affordability (not just entry-level affordability)

Without intentional inclusion, they risk being excluded entirely from planning outcomes. 

I strongly encourage the Town to:

  • Formally include adults with disabilities in its needs assessment and housing strategy
  • Engage directly with affected families and advocacy groups in Westport
  • Explore models of supportive housing and public-private partnerships specifically designed for this population
  • Ensure future site selection and development planning accounts for accessibility and long-term care considerations

Westport has the opportunity to lead, not just in meeting statutory affordable housing requirements, but in addressing a deeply human issue that impacts families across the community, often behind the scenes.

This is not a marginal need. It is a pressing and growing one.

I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this further or help facilitate connections with families and stakeholders who are directly affected.

Thank you for your leadership and consideration.

Sincerely,
Dennis Ray