Connecticut rents climb as debate grows over affordable housing law
Finding an apartment that doesn’t break the bank is becoming increasingly difficult across Connecticut.
The average rent statewide now sits at about $1,900 a month, according to Apartments.com. That figure is slightly higher than a year ago and ranks Connecticut as the sixth most expensive state in the country for renters.
The rising cost of housing has renewed attention on how much affordable housing is being built.
New data show 31 Connecticut communities meet the state’s affordable housing goal, which requires at least 10 percent of a town’s housing stock to be considered affordable. That marks an increase of three towns compared with last year.
The benchmark is tied to a state law known as 8-30g, which limits how easily municipalities can deny certain affordable housing developments.
Housing advocates argue the law remains one of the strongest tools Connecticut has to increase supply.
“We need more homes and 8-30g is one of the strongest tools Connecticut has to make sure affordable homes can actually get built in communities that have often made them difficult or impossible to create,” said Chelsea Ross, of the Partnership for Strong Communities.
Critics, however, say the law can be overused and undermine local zoning decisions.
“Developers are increasingly using laws like 8-30g to override local zoning with out of scale and out of place development and that has led to health and safety potential impacts,” said Maria Weingarten of CT 169 Strong.
That tension is playing out in several towns. In Simsbury, a developer plans to use 8-30g to redevelop a former office park into more than 600 housing units, including apartments designated for low-income renters.
In Bethel, a proposed apartment development triggered a legal battle under the 8-30g statute. The case was eventually settled, clearing the way for 72 apartments outlined in project renderings submitted to the court.
Advocates say a lack of reporting requirements makes it difficult to fully assess how often the law is used or how effective it has been statewide. Towns are not required to notify the state when 8-30g projects are approved or denied.
Even so, supporters are pushing back against some legislative proposals that would revise the law.
“Some of the proposals increase uncertainty and add delay and create more ways to avoid producing more affordable homes and really move Connecticut backward,” Ross said.
Opponents seeking stronger local control counter that the overall number of communities meeting the 10 percent threshold has remained relatively flat, despite periodic shifts in which towns qualify. They also warn proposed changes could have broader consequences.
“These new proposals from Hartford would increase density, reduce long-term affordability, and even allow housing in industrial zones, which is going to limit Connecticut’s future economic vitality,” Weingarten said.
Both sides agree it is too soon to judge the full impact of a housing law passed last year. That legislation calls for more regional planning around housing growth while also making it easier for some towns to qualify for temporary relief from 8-30g requirements.
While opinions differ sharply on the role of 8-30g, housing advocates estimate Connecticut needs roughly 100,000 additional affordable units to keep pace with demand.
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