Is Regional Planning the Answer to Connecticut’s Housing Crisis?

Connecticut cities are pushing back on a state-level housing bill that some local officials say takes too much control away from local officials, countering it with their own proposal to approach the housing crisis from a regional perspective.

According to a CT Mirror article by Ginny Monk, “The town organizations’ plan would eliminate most of the portions of the bill that housing advocates have said are the most meaningful, including the measure to end off-street parking minimums for smaller towns, the prioritization of state grants for towns that build near train and bus stations, a measure to allow conversion of commercial property to residential without a special hearing and the policy known as fair share that would require towns to plan and zone for a set number of units of housing.”

The plan proposed by the municipalities would “require towns to work with their regional councils of government, or COGs, to assess housing needs, then set goals and make plans once every 10 years. It would also have the state offer new funding as incentives for towns to implement their plans.” Cities say this would give them more control while still working towards the state’s housing goals. “But opponents, including housing experts, say without enforcement mechanisms it would do little to actually increase the state’s housing stock.”

According to Betsy Gara, executive director of the Council of Small Towns, regional efforts would particularly help smaller municipalities that might not have full-time planning staff. She said she wants to see regional housing needs assessments that account more for water and sewage capacity than past studies have.”