Home builders say the biggest battle for affordable housing is the availability of homes. This is what builders and lawmakers say they are trying to address.
Connecticut’s housing crisis continues to be top of mind for home builders and lawmakers. As the situation continues to persist, many are searching for solutions.
“The biggest battle for affordability is just availability of homes. We need to build and create more housing in Connecticut,” said Matt Gilchrist, president of the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Central Connecticut.
Gilchrist has been in the production homebuilding business for years, with multiple projects across the state. He said one of the largest hurdles he and others face when building in Connecticut is the red tape and the lack of access to land.
Especially when the decision comes down to local planning and zoning commissions.
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“Towns often say, ‘Oh yeah, we need more housing. But no, we don't want you to, to develop housing here or we don't want you to develop that kind of housing. We want to develop this kind of housing,’” Gilchrist said. “So, we need better, more friendly, planning and zoning commissions who say, ‘Hey, we do understand that we have a housing issue. We need to address the affordability, and we need to add more housing stock.”
In his role with the association, Gilchrist has brought many of these concerns to lawmakers.
The co-chair of the state’s Housing Committee, Sen. Martha Marx, said they’re trying to solve the problem.
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“We have to encourage every town to do the 10 percent of affordable housing, right? We've asked towns to do that,” Sen. Marx said.
Sen. Marx also touched on an omnibus housing bill, calling for multiple changes to housing laws. She said one portion of SB 12 deals with switching the zoning for commercial properties to add a residential component. She’s also pushing for a starter homes work group.
“We have to figure out a way to start building starter homes, meaning small acre, small lots that people can buy their house and either stay there forever, expand, built on if they need to or eventually sell it, hopefully for a profit to go on to the next size house that they want,” Sen. Marx said.
Those small lots, Marx said, may also need to be suitable for multifamily units -- something Gilchrist agrees with.
“It's going to have to be multifamily. It's going to have to be narrow lot lines where we can build small houses close together. And we really need to work on our infrastructure in Connecticut. We need more areas that are serviced by water, by sewer. And then we always have to focus on how our electrical grid can service everybody,” Gilchrist said.
Sen. Marx acknowledged many towns and cities are not in favor of some of the proposed change. However, many stakeholders feel if lawmakers want people to stay in Connecticut, they need to create more places for them to live.
“Buying a home is part of the American dream, and it's hard right now,” Gilchrist said. “You know, interest rates are hard. You know, the price of the homes to start with are high. So, save, get your down payment and then get into the market.”
