By Sarah Opdahl

On Tuesday, September 5, New Fairfield’s Housing Opportunities Committee (HOC) met to review the first draft of their full Affordable Housing Plan. The plan was created in response to a state mandate and follows a multi-year, multi-pronged process.  The HOC undertook to analyze New Fairfield’s overall housing situation, demonstrated needs of residents, and gathered resident feedback. Next, the HOC will undertake more public outreach—the plan is posted on the Town website and a shorter, highlighted version is being created—gathering feedback, making adjustments, and eventually bringing the plan to the appropriate Town Boards. Once a final plan is adopted by the Board of Selectmen, it is then submitted to the State Office of Policy and Management.

The HOC engaged consultant Ms. Jocelyn Ayer, of The Housing Collective, to assist in the process; she walked the Committee and public in attendance on Zoom through the draft plan. Prior to going through the possible solutions to address the lack of affordable housing in New Fairfield, Ayer noted the statistics that point to approximately 25% of New Fairfield’s population qualifying for affordable housing, in that over 1,400 households are spending more than 30% of their  income on housing costs. A third of those households are spending an unsustainable 50% of their income on housing. The plan delves into what factors have exacerbated the housing cost issues in town and found there was an extended period of stunted wage growth, enormous housing cost leaps—42% increase in median home price in the last five years—which was exacerbated by the supply and demand strains of the last several years, and more. The plan notes that zoning regulations make it more challenging to build anything other than a single family home, which is the most expensive type of home to build and maintain.

The plan’s overall goal is for twenty units to be made available in the next five years. In addition to units, there are a host of other options the Town can pursue in the affordable housing arena, as described in the draft. The plan attempts to inform while also assuaging fears about types and amounts of affordable housing the Town would allo w. The plan’s first goal is to grow support of the New Fairfield Housing Trust through strategies that include letting more residents know about the opportunity to identify potential projects, “they could reach out to residents to ask them to consider donations or lower-than-market cost sales of land or buildings,” Ayer explained. State or federal grants can be engaged to help support the turnover of properties, as well as the Housatonic Habitat for Humanity.

A second goal is raising awareness about affordable first-time homebuyer options, such as programs like the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority mortgages or the Time to Own Program, which helps income-eligible residents with downpayment assistance. Goal three is allowing the developmen t of smaller-sized homes that could be downsizing or starter options, such as duplexes or attached townhomes and allowing existing homes to be converted to two- or three-dwelling units. The plan would also increase awareness about accessory apartments, which are allowed in New Fairfield and may provide an ideal downsizing option. The final goals include continuing to raise awareness about housing challenges and let residents know how they can help with affordable housing in Town.

Even after eventual adoption, the plan has no regulatory authority and will serve as a reference for the Zoning Commission and other Town boards. Ayer noted, because New Fairfield doesn’t have 10% of its housing stock as affordable, instead it is at approximately 1% with 66 total units, “It is open to appeals from developers.” In situations like those, a developer’s request “can sort of override a lot of the zoning requirements. They still have to meet health and safety standards, but they can override density.”

HOC Chair, Ms. Anita Brown said, “We really tried to make an effort to get everyone who could possibly participate,” going on to note the numerous public forums, surveys, and meetings that were held. There will be many opportunities to continue to give feedback to the Committee in the coming months.