New Fairfield group studying housing needs
NEW FAIRFIELD — The Housing Opportunities Committee will meet for the first time Tuesday evening to begin the work of reviewing local housing stock, exploring ways to fill housing-related needs and develop strategies to increase affordable housing development in town.
In March, the Board of Selectmen appointed seven New Fairfield residents with diverse backgrounds and experience to serve on the committee, along with three ex-officio members.
The committee’s regular members are Anita Brown, Kathleen DiTullio, Kathy Hull, Richard Kalinka, the Rev. Liz Yoho, Jim Mandella and Roberta Anderson.
Brown is a retired middle school teacher and current member of New Fairfield’s Commission on Aging who has been working to address housing issues in town for years, including as chair of the aging commission’s housing subcommittee.
DiTullio has been a real estate agent for seven years and involved in commercial, residential and industrial real estate construction and management for over 25 years. She is also a member of the town’s Inland Wetlands and Economic Development commissions and serves as secretary of the New Fairfield Housing Trust.
Hull is a 36-year resident of New Fairfield and has been the town’s senior services director for the last 31 years. She also serves as the town’s municipal agent for the elderly and is a former member of the Commission on Aging.
Kalinka is a New Fairfield resident of 45 years and a longtime member of the town’s volunteer fire department.
Yoho has lived in town for more than 30 years and is the pastor of the Congregational Church of New Fairfield. Yoho “believes strongly in the strength of a community coming together to help those in need,” First Selectman Pat Del Monaco said.
Mandella is a New Fairfield resident with a background in finance, economics and accounting, who believes “everyone should be able to afford a place to live” and that buying single-family homes should be the only way for people to live in town, according to Del Monaco.
Anderson is a New Fairfield resident of 50 years with 40 years experience working as a real estate broker in the Danbury area, as well as 30 years experience as a landlord in the area. Through her involvement in real estate, Anderson says she sees the need for affordable housing, especially among seniors on fixed incomes and young families, and believes it’s important that the town “look into providing (housing) options while keeping the small town attributes that make New Fairfield an attractive place to call home.”
The Housing Opportunities Committee will be tasked with not only drafting a plan for creating affordable housing in town that addresses residents’ needs, but coming up with ways to “engage the community to be proactive on housing opportunities” and producing an annual report that outlines steps the town can take to encourage the development of more housing opportunities.
The committee’s first meeting on Tuesday will take place via Zoom beginning at 7:30 p.m.