CT Voices Examines Housing Displacement, Eviction, Foreclosures, Homelessness

Connecticut Voices for Children released a new report, “Fostering Stable Homes: Tackling Housing Displacement For a Stronger Connecticut” this week. The report completes a housing arc from last year by providing a deeper dive on the eviction crisis in Connecticut and expands the view to include foreclosures and homelessness.

The new report looks specifically at “how our state’s restrictive land-use and zoning leads to the increased displacement of renters and homeowners” and provides policy recommendations that the nonprofit organization indicates would mitigate displacement.

The first section of the report “examines the intricate interplay between land-use and zoning restrictions, housing shortages, housing affordability, and their strong correlation with foreclosures, evictions, and homelessness statewide,” according to CT Voices. “It delves into the economic underpinnings of housing displacement, highlighting its racial and socioeconomic dimensions.”

The second section outlines policy recommendations aimed at addressing housing security and countering displacement. These proposals involve eliminating barriers to adequate housing supply, reforming procedures to enhance housing affordability, safety, and justice, as well as investing in mitigating housing displacement and promoting housing stability.

Officials note that reviewed in sequence with last year’s two housing reports, the latest report “provides a much more complete arc to Connecticut’s eviction crisis and policies that provide residents with more housing security.”

The report points out that “the restrictive nature of housing development laws and regulations in Connecticut significantly diminishes housing supply. Connecticut’s escalating housing costs, fueled by restrictive zoning and fiscal policies, disproportionately impact low and middle-income households.5 These policies intentionally limit growth, emphasizing large homes and significant parking requirements, resulting in underutilized residential land and intensified competition for limited housing units, consequently driving prices upward.”

The report also concludes that:

· The emphasis on curbing housing growth through single-family zoning has effectively reduced housing density and, consequently, the overall supply.

· In comparison to the overall United States, Connecticut has witnessed a lower housing construction rate since the 1990s.

· As a result, we’re witnessing increased housing cost burdens on Connecticut residents compared to the U.S. overall. Today, the median rent and cost to purchase a home is $ 1,374 and $323,700, respectively, in Connecticut.

According to data highlighted in the report, “the median income in Connecticut is $ 90,213.17 However, compared to white residents who earn on average $ 98,855 a year, Connecticut’s Black residents earn $59,728 on average a year and Hispanic and Latino residents earn $56,787.”