A solution to Stratford’s housing crisis
Stable housing results in improved community health and better economic outcomes.
As many jobs have gone fully remote and New Yorkers have headed east to the attractive lower Fairfield Country location, Stratford has seen an increased demand for housing. The Bridge port Stamford-Norwalk metro area continues to deal with a seller’s market with quick sales of overpriced homes. The rents continue to outpace the rest of the state with the third-most expensive median monthly rent, tens of thousands of dollars less than needed to afford to live in the area.
State law requires all municipalities to adopt an affordable housing plan and submit it every five years. Stratford was one of the first to submit its plan, thanks to the 2021-26 Housing Strategies for Stratford report produced by the Stratford Housing Partnership and endorsed by the Town Council. One of its recommendations to enable more housing options was to revisit accessory dwelling unit regulations, considering expansions to our current zoning definitions and eliminating restrictive requirements.
Our Zoning Commission has been processing ADU applications but the zoning regulations need to be rewritten, removing family-only, attached units-only, and special permitting and increasing the allowable square footage. Adoption of the new regulations should be immediately followed by a marketing campaign to let residents know about this option.
The age of Stratford’s population is weighted toward the ends, an abundance of young and older adults. These naturally affordable units are excellent housing options for our next generation, students and others starting out on their own, and our seniors looking to age in place and possibly requiring on-site care for a health-related situation. They also offer individuals the option of staying on their own property, aging into the ADU and renting out the primary dwelling.
Additionally, these units have shown to increase property values while providing rental income to homeowners and since accessory apartments are built where housing already exists, they are environmentally efficient. Our town increases housing for the workforce and renters have the opportunity to check out Stratford as a long-term home.
A 2019 Kaiser Permanente national survey about social needs produced an interesting and important holistic view of health. People do not see their health as a doctor visit only. Almost all of those surveyed believe stable housing has nearly the same high value of access to a doctor when it comes to their overall health. And yet, the housing crisis continues in Connecticut, where “affordable housing” is not only unavailable it is unaffordable.
All of our neighbors and our full community deserve an assortment of housing options. Accessory dwelling could be a solution. And as Stratford looks forward to meeting the needs of our residents, it is important to remember their input in the report’s survey:
“About one-half to two-thirds of survey participants indicated they were housing cost burdened. In addition, about one-half to two-thirds of survey participants were concerned about their long-term ability to be able to afford to stay in Stratford.”
That could be the neighbor on each side of you.