Lawmakers, governor to discuss efforts to increase affordable housing

NEWINGTON, CT (WFSB) - Between high demand, lack of inventory, and high-interest rates, buying a home in Connecticut may be difficult.

Wednesday morning, Gov. Ned Lamont and lawmakers planned to discuss ongoing efforts to increase housing availability, particularly units designated as affordable.

A news conference was scheduled for 10:30 a.m. at the future site of Cedar Pointe in Newington, a 108-unit apartment complex under development near a newly constructed CTfastrak station.

The Town of Newington is below the state’s 10 percent affordable housing threshold, which allows developers to propose projects not subject to local zoning regulations.

Legislators believe that makes towns like Newington more attractive to buyers and renters.

On Tuesday, realtors met to speak about real estate industry challenges.

According to the president of CT Realtors, 55,000 people moved to the state during the COVID pandemic, which shrank the available housing in Connecticut.

“Currently, we have roughly 3,100 single-family and condominium listings in the entire state of Connecticut. To put that in perspective, pre-pandemic, there were 22,000,” said David Gallitto, president, CT Realtors.

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