New & Noteworthy
Hartford Foundation submitted testimony in support of House Bill 6831, An Act Concerning Transit-Oriented Communities to the legislature’s Planning and Development Committee.
This bill would not only help to provide easier access to public transportation but also would create the density necessary to make it economically viable to construct quality, affordable housing for low- and middle-income Connecticut residents. We appreciate that the legislation is supported by a number of health, conservation, as well as housing organizations.
As part of our strategic commitment to work with community partners to dismantle structural racism and advance equitable social and economic mobility for Black and Latine residents of Greater Hartford, the Hartford Foundation seeks to increase the number of Hartford residents living in higher opportunity neighborhoods. Higher opportunity neighborhoods are defined by a variety of factors, including low unemployment, better performing schools, lower crime, and a greater availability of quality, affordable housing.
To support these efforts, the Hartford Foundation is a part of the statewide HOMEConnecticut Campaign. Its mission is to ensure everyone in Connecticut has access to safe, stable, accessible, and affordable housing in an equitable community of their choice. The partners of HOMEConnecticut recognize that when people have stable housing, their economic and health outcomes improve.
The Hartford Foundation applauds House Bill 6831, An Act Concerning Transit-Oriented Communities, with its efforts to support the development of housing by providing financial incentives for municipalities that adopt certain transit-oriented development policies through the Office of Responsible Growth.
The Foundation also supports directing the state’s responsible growth coordinator to establish a fund for the expansion of water and sewerage infrastructure, which can help to remove significant barriers to building multiunit housing in many communities. We also support allowing the coordinator to provide additional funding for certain infrastructure projects and including transit-oriented districts in the definition of housing growth zones.
We also appreciate the proposal establishing an interagency council on housing development to advise and assist the state responsible growth coordinator in reviewing regulations, developing guidelines, and establishing programs to support the responsible growth of housing in Connecticut. Coordination across the many agencies involved in this work is essential to promoting collaboration and examining challenges across systems.
According to 2020 Census data, Connecticut is one of the most racially and economically segregated states in the country, with 74 percent of Black residents and 68 percent of Latine residents living in census tracts assessed as low opportunity areas. The state has enabled municipalities to regulate certain land use through zoning. Exclusionary zoning practices have fostered this segregation for decades which has had devastating consequences on residents, communities, schools, and our economy.
According to research conducted by the Urban Institute, the vast majority of deed restricted affordable housing as well as naturally occurring affordable housing (such as multi-family homes and apartment buildings) are concentrated in urban areas such as Hartford. This segregation results in concentration of poverty, primarily impacting Black and Latine residents. The Hartford Foundation offers its support for efforts to generate diverse housing options, including affordable housing in higher opportunity areas throughout the state, providing people with more choices about where to live.
The Foundation has invested in Desegregate CT’s advocacy and organizing efforts to support its Work Live Ride transit-oriented communities initiative, reduce minimum lot size requirements, and streamline zoning bureaucracy.
The Hartford Foundation has seen from our work to create more employment opportunities how access to transportation is critical in securing and sustaining employment, especially for the many residents who do not drive or do not have cars. This legislation recognizes the essential nature of living near transportation and promotes development of additional transportation hubs.
This proposal would provide more Connecticut residents with access to mass transit options. Transit oriented development directly benefits workers and families who rely on public transit as well as the many employers looking for reliable workers.
We have seen how restrictive zoning acts as a barrier to residents trying to access public transit. Incentivizing communities to create housing opportunities near public transit is a crucial step in the ongoing efforts to reform Connecticut’s antiquated and discriminatory approach to zoning.