Connecticut must fix its housing crisis

Amidst an overwhelming affordable housing crisis, Connecticut is ranked the worst place in the nation for renters.

As housing costs rise more quickly than incomes, the state has a shortage of over 92,000 homes affordable to low-income individuals and families, while over half of the state’s renters pay more than 30% of their monthly income on rent.

From our state’s aging housing stock to the housing vacancy rate of 3.5%, Connecticut is at a critical housing crisis point. While this past legislative session state leaders made progress on some incremental policy changes, families across our state still need and demand immediate and long-term solutions.

Organizations like ours have the responsibility to deepen our commitment to ensuring our neighbors can live in safe and stable housing. By combining our expertise, capacity, and resources, our organizations are focusing on regional housing solutions and working alongside groups that are directly impacted by our unhealthy housing system.

No county in Connecticut has enough affordable homes to meet the needs of its very-low income households. One-third of all subsidized housing in Connecticut needs to be accessible to residents who have a disability, especially seniors and others living with physical, ambulatory, and cognitive disabilities. Our communities need housing options that provide stability and safety to ensure stronger outcomes for children, families and individuals.

Together as partners in the Centers for Housing Opportunity (CHO), Local Initiatives Support Corporation Connecticut (LISC CT), Partnership for Strong Communities (The Partnership) and the Housing Collective support regionally responsive housing solutions with the technical expertise to see them implemented. Together with local community foundations and our regional partners in Fairfield County, Litchfield County and Eastern Connecticut, CHO is driving solutions to the housing crisis.

For the past several years the Housing Collective and the Partnership have been collaborating under the umbrella of CHO to engage regional stakeholders in the collaborative development and implementation of housing solutions to help meet each region’s specific housing challenges. Our two founding organizations are thrilled that LISC CT has now joined the team bringing expertise and capacity in lending and investment to bring housing projects to fruition.

Collectively we bridge the gap between locally responsive regional solutions and statewide policy to increase production, preservation, and protection of affordable housing statewide. Just recently, we kicked off a new acquisition loan fund that allows community-based organizations focused on housing in Litchfield County to find and acquire land or buildings to increase housing options.

In the coming months we will directly connect local projects to additional regional capital pools of seed funding; provide responsive technical assistance to towns to implement plans that aim to create more housing; facilitate peer learning networks across municipalities to encourage best practices and capacity building; and support resident leaders to engage in and lead their town’s housing discussions.

Jim Horan leads LISC Connecticut’s work. David Rich is the President and CEO of the Housing Collective. Chelsea Ross is the Executive Director of the Partnership for Strong Communities.

The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Lakeville Journal and The Journal does not support or oppose candidates for public office.

Latest News

Fallen tree cancels jubilee

The roof of the Grove was damaged by the tree, the event tent was punctured, a chef was injured and the Jubilee Luncheon was canceled Sunday, Oct. 12.

Photo by Patrick L. Sullivan

LAKEVILLE — The Lakeville Journal and The Millerton News Jubilee Luncheon fundraiser at the Grove Sunday, Oct. 12 was canceled after a very large section of a tree fell on the caterer’s tent at about 10 a.m.

Most of the catering staff heard the tree breaking up and got out of the tent in time, but the chef was hit by the falling limbs and sustained non-critical injuries.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kent School senior killed, parents hurt in car crash

Emergency responders block Amenia Union Road in Sharon Saturday, Oct. 11, while responding to the vehicle crash.

Photo by Patrick L. Sullivan

Updated Oct. 13, 9:25 a.m.:

SHARON — Shea Cassidy-Teti, 17, of Salisbury, died Saturday, Oct. 11, in a tragic car crash on Amenia Union Road in Sharon.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rhys V. Bowen

LAKEVILLE — Rhys V. Bowen, 65, of Foxboro, Massachusetts, died unexpectedly in his sleep on Sept. 15, 2025. Rhys was born in Sharon, Connecticut, on April 9, 1960 to Anne H. Bowen and the late John G. Bowen. His brother, David, died in 1979.

Rhys grew up at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, where his father taught English. Attending Hotchkiss, Rhys excelled in academics and played soccer, basketball, and baseball. During these years, he also learned the challenges and joys of running, and continued to run at least 50 miles a week, until the day he died.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kelsey K. Horton

LAKEVILLE — Kelsey K. Horton, 43, a lifelong area resident, died peacefully on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, at Norwalk Hospital in Norwalk, Connecticut, following a courageous battle with cancer. Kelsey worked as a certified nursing assistant and administrative assistant at Noble Horizons in Salisbury, from 1999 until 2024, where she was a very respected and loved member of their nursing and administrative staff.

Born Oct. 4, 1981, in Sharon, she was the daughter of W. Craig Kellogg of Southern Pines, North Carolina, and JoAnne (Lukens) Tuncy and her husband Donald of Millerton, New York. Kelsey graduated with the class of 1999 from Webutuck High School in Amenia and from BOCES in 1999 with a certificate from the CNA program as well. She was a longtime member of the Lakeville United Methodist Church in Lakeville. On Oct. 11, 2003, in Poughkeepsie, New York, she married James Horton. Jimmy survives at home in Lakeville. Kelsey loved camping every summer at Waubeeka Family Campground in Copake, and she volunteered as a cheer coach for A.R.C. Cheerleading for many years. Kelsey also enjoyed hiking and gardening in her spare time and spending time with her loving family and many dear friends.

Keep ReadingShow less