The town of Ledyard has received the highest ranking from a non-profit for its affordable housing initiatives in New London County, as the county struggles to address the state’s housing needs.
Desegregate CT, a program that’s part of the nonprofit Regional Plan Association, is on a mission to review and score the affordable housing plans for each Connecticut municipality, by county, on a scale of one to five.
Ledyard scored the highest in New London County with a 3.5. Ledyard scored well in its assessment of the region’s housing needs, land use and zoning changes to be made and specific goals to increase affordability.
Montville received the second highest ranking for its affordable housing plans. The town scored well in gaining public input on the plan.
Liz Burdick, the Director of Land Use and Development for Montville, said in her work she tries to demystify affordable housing and make it a priority.
“These are little incremental things we have to do. I, as a planner, when I have people coming in to do development, I ask them, ‘Would you be willing to do some affordable units?’ And I actually got a yes the other day,” Burdick said.
The Center for Housing Equity and Opportunity used the state Department of Housing guidelines to score each municipality’s plan, Eastern Connecticut Center’s Director Beth Sabilia said.
“The Department of Housing’s guidelines are clear. Towns should outline tangible steps for increasing access to housing for people of all incomes and backgrounds, in all communities. Our assessment considered how well these plans aligned with these recommendations,” Sabilia said.
Pete Harrison, Director of Desegregate CT, says the scorecards are not meant to shame any town, but to kickstart a larger investment in and conversation around affordable housing.
“Even if the scores are not so great in the 100 point scale, they exist,” Harrison said. “There's a reference point. There are folks in these communities that care about this stuff and the appeal to get on the Affordable Housing Committee.”
The efforts in New London County were born out of work that was first implemented last year by the Fairfield County Center for Housing Opportunity, to increase affordable housing in that region.
