GREENWICH, CT - Scarce affordable housing for public employees is costly for the town, according to the United Way of Greenwich. It costs taxpayers millions of dollars in extra salary, creates high turnover and cuts into education and other town services, according to a newly released housing study by the charitable agency. "The lack of affordable and diverse work force housing options jeopardizes the quality of life and key services that Greenwich residents value," the study said. "It could ultimately transform a community that values its cultural and economic diversity into a homogenous town accessible only to the wealthy."
The study of the town's 5,545 employees showed that 67 percent of them live outside of town and spend an average of an hour and a half commuting to work, adding to traffic woes and increased automobile pollution throughout the region. Cathy Delehanty, president of the Greenwich Education Association, which represents town teachers, said the lack of affordable housing affects every town employee.
Although she was happy the problem was getting attention, she said it was hard to envision that the town could create large amounts of affordable housing with land values being so high. "The type of salaries we are earning do not allow us to avail ourselves of the housing in town," said Delehanty, of Stamford. "I'm happy that they are looking for solutions."
Having nonresident employees is costly, too, with the town paying an average $12,896 in extra salary per worker each year compared with those in similar jobs in other Connecticut towns. The incremental price tag is almost $18 million annually. United Way Executive Director Stuart Adelberg said the town can use a range of strategies to tackle the problem of affordable housing for its workers, including incentives and requirements for developers that have worked elsewhere.
Strategies could include inclusionary zoning, regulations that require developers to set aside a certain number of units for lower-income tenants and density bonuses, which allow developers to build more units in return for adding affordable housing units to their projects. "There are a lot of affordable housing developers who would love to come into this community but are unable to because of the economic reality," Adelberg said.
A 2006 community-needs assessment by the United Way identified affordable housing as a critical need for the town. Adelberg said the agency also was completing an addendum of the study looking at communities that have successfully used zoning regulations and other strategies to broaden their stock of housing, including Stamford and Montgomery County, Md.
Hopefully, the study will spur more organized efforts to create affordable housing in Greenwich, Rep. Livvy Floren, R-149th District, said after the presentation. Floren said Stamford is an example of a community that has used density bonuses and other zoning changes to spur the development of affordable housing. "We need a plan and coordination and accountability to get this done," Floren said. "We know for a fact that this is a pressing need."
Source: GreenwichTime.com