An approach to affordable housing that assigns each town a certain number of units to plan and zone for, based on the needs of its region, would help cut down on housing segregation in Connecticut, advocates said Thursday.

Under the proposed “Fair Share” law, the state Office of Policy and Management would assess the need for affordable housing in different parts of Connecticut. Then, towns would share the responsibility to meet that need.

The goal is to increase Connecticut’s affordable housing stock.

“Our broken housing system is the root of many of the problems we have with business and business growth,” said Sonya Jelks, Connecticut director at the Corporation for Supportive Housing and a city councilor in Meriden.

Under the measure, a town’s share would be based on its wealth, median income compared to other towns in the region, percentage of housing stock that’s multifamily housing and the poverty rate.

Advocates: ‘Fair Share’ law would increase affordable housing in CT, Ginny Monk, CT Mirror, March 11, 2022, available here