Residents of CT town balk at ‘affordable’ apartment plan. They cite ‘character of our community’

[Pelican Press 0]

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Residents of CT town balk at ‘affordable’ apartment plan. They cite ‘character of our community’

The developer seeking to

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is now applying to

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with 65 apartments in Southington.

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argues that restricting rents on 20 units to “affordable” levels will help the town, but scores of neighbors object to the plan.

The company cited the state’s

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in its application, and said 30% of the apartments would meet Connecticut’s definition of affordable. It’s proposing to demolish a small house in the town’s Plantsville section and use the 2-acre property for an L-shaped apartment building.

The building will have 55 one-bedroom units ranging from 560 to 673 square feet, and 10 two-bedrooms apartments at 806 to 840 square feet, according to Andrea Gomes, 3 Squared’s attorney.

Floor plans show a laundry room on each floor.

Based on current costs, the complex would have a small number of one-bedroom apartments available at as low as $1,181 a month for the lowest income-earners, the company said in an

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Rents on the 20 apartments designated as affordable would be limited for 40 years.

The cap can vary each year depending on current figures set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. But while affordable rents could increase each year, they’d never be allows to exceed what HUD’s figures show as a maximum.

The 8-30g law requires 15% of units to be leased at rates that an individual, couple or family could afford if they earned just 80% of the average area income, and another 15% at rates set for people making only 60%.

Using 2025 figures, rent for the one-bedroom “affordable” apartments would be limited to $1,441 for tenants in the 80% of average income level, and $1,181 for those at 60% or less.

Affordable two-bedroom units would lease for $1,834 for tenants in the 80% income category, and $1,495 for those in the 60% or lower tier.

The other 45 apartments would be leased at market rates.

Gomes reminded the commission that 8-30g sharply limits the legally acceptable reasons to reject an affordable housing proposal.

In such cases, “the zoning commission can only deny the application if it receives evidence at a hearing that the development will cause ‘a substantial public health or safety concern,’” she told commissioners at a hearing last week.

“But that’s not the end of the analysis. It’s ‘a substantial public health or safety concern’ which clearly outweighs the need for affordable housing, not only in Southington but in the region. And that health and safety concern cannot be addressed by reasonable changes to the plan,” Gomes said.

The 8-30g law has become increasingly controversial in recent years as affordable housing developers use it to build in towns or neighborhoods that haven’t been receptive to apartment buildings or affordable housing. Neighbors of the sites complain that communities and existing homeowners have lost local control, while housing advocates argue that to many towns wouldn’t expand their supply of affordable homes except for the pressure of 8-30g.

The law applies only to communities where less than 10% of local housing meets the state criteria for the “affordable” designation.

In a 212-page presentation to the town in April, Gomes laid out 3 Squared’s case for 8-30g protections for its plan. She noted that as of 2024, only 5.44% of Southington homes were designated as affordable, barely half the state target.

“The 2024 list shows that only 5.44% of the 18,145 dwelling units in Southington were counted as government subsidized or restricted in compliance with 8-30g,” she wrote. “As of 2003, 6.10% of Southington’s 15,557 dwelling units counted. Overall, the number of dwelling units in Southington has increased by almost 17% in the past 30 years, yet the percentage of dwellings units restricted in compliance with 8-30g has decreased.”

A contingent of Plantsville residents and business owners have balked, urging the commission to preserve the property’s business zoning and not convert it to residential

The decision “could significantly alter the character of our community,” according to a petition signed by about 100 people. “Maintaining the current business zoning is crucial for preserving the economic vitality and diversity of our town.”

Several homeowners and business people wrote letters protesting the plan, and at least one complained that 8-30g law gives developers far too much latitude to override local concerns.

The zoning hearing will resume June 3.

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#Residents #town #balk #affordable #apartment #plan #cite #character #community

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