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Train tracks pass through central Greenwich parallel to I-95 in Greenwich, Conn. Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023. Desegregate CT is pitching a housing concept in Greenwich that would give state funding to communities that create designated "transit-oriented' districts.
Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media
GREENWICH — Providing greater access to affordable housing has become a major topic among local elected and planning officials, and Greenwich's Planning & Zoning Commission is next in line for details on the latest trend being discussed statewide.
Desegregate CT is a statewide organization whose mission is to create "abundant, diverse housing in service of equity, inclusive prosperity and a cleaner environment,” and is set to present information on "transit-oriented" housing at next week's Planning & Zoning Commission meeting.
Representatives of the organization will discuss their "Work Live Ride Act" that is set to be introduced to state lawmakers in Hartford.
The proposed legislation would provide technical assistance and planning capacities to local communities paid for with state funding. The aim would be to create denser housing near railroad stations and other transportation hubs through new zoning initiatives.
If a community designates a "transit-oriented community" district that includes affordable housing, it would be eligible for state resources and funding for new construction, according to the plan. Towns that create the transit-oriented community district would be eligible for state grant money for infrastructure improvements and other upgrades.
Pete Harrison, the Desegregate CT Director, said the initiative is "about creating access to jobs, more affordable homes and safer streets."
Harrison and other representatives from Desegregate CT have been scheduling meetings with planning and zoning commissions around the state to promote Work Live Ride Act, around 30 to 35 of them are in the works, Harrison said.
"We've been doing a lot of outreach across the state," he said. "We were excited Greenwich got back to us."
The presentation will last around 20 to 30 minutes.
The concept, he said, is to bring housing closer to transit hubs.
"We have a mismatch of where jobs are and where people live. And we have a complete lack of market rate and affordable housing, for the growth we need and the housing crises we're in already. Steering this kind of housing development through our transit infrastructure makes a lot of sense economically and environmentally," he said.
The initiative was rolled out in January, and Harrison said the proposal was set to be formally introduced in the state legislature in late February. Around a dozen communities in the state have already explored the concept or modified their zoning codes, Harrison said.
The proposal would allow for an "opt-in" approach, Harrison said, which made the legislation more appealing to local leaders. The non-profit housing group proposed another legislative package linked to transportation hubs last year that did not advance in Hartford.
Harrison recently gave a presentation on the concept in Old Saybrook.
The Greenwich presentation will be held at the Planning & Zoning Commission meeting beginning at 4 p.m. Feb. 22. The meeting will be live-streamed.
The subject of affordable housing has become a contentious one, as local elected officials say the state regulations in section 8-30g are poorly crafted and create incentives for over-development. The law creates rewards for developers if they designate 30 percent of a housing proposal as affordable. The law gives local planning authorities much less discretion in seeking changes or reductions in scale on the projects, and a number of Greenwich public officials have spoken out against it.
Greenwich has also created a Greenwich Affordable Housing Trust Fund to promote the construction of affordable housing, or the conversion of existing residential units into affordable units. The fund was established in 2021 and has begun looking at sites.
“The Affordable Housing Trust Fund is a demonstration of Greenwich’s history of thoughtful and positive responses to the needs of its residents,” Planning and Zoning Commission Chair Margarita Alban said when the fund was being developed. She cited the initiative as a demonstration of the "value of local solutions to local challenges.”
