BETHANY, CT — Bethany has few housing options affordable to younger people seeking to move into town or seniors hoping to downsize while remaining in the community, according to research presented to the town's Housing Advisory Committee on Aug. 3.
The committee reviewed two housing analyses prepared by volunteer Tristan Wuerth-Stricker, including a comparison of Bethany with similar Connecticut towns and an examination of housing affordability within Bethany.
Wuerth-Stricker compared Bethany with Connecticut communities that have more than 500 households, median incomes above $120,000, limited access to public water and sewer and affordable housing development begun within the previous five to seven years.
Five towns met those criteria: Barkhamsted, East Granby, Goshen, Warren and Woodbridge. Wuerth-Stricker found no significant differences between their zoning regulations and Bethany's that appeared to account for their ability to support affordable housing initiatives.
Three of the five communities, however, had affordable housing nonprofits that sought or received funding to plan and construct developments, according to his analysis. He concluded that Bethany's zoning regulations were not notably different from those in the communities that had undertaken affordable housing efforts.
A second analysis examined what housing affordability means in Bethany.
According to the figures presented to the committee, the average Bethany home was valued at $418,000 and average rent was $1,894. Renters spent an average of 31 percent of monthly income on housing, compared with 25 percent for homeowners with mortgages and 11 percent for homeowners without mortgages.
Less than 1 percent of the town's housing stock met Connecticut's requirements for affordable housing, according to the analysis.
Bethany had 1,761 housing units, including 1,615 owner-occupied units, 127 renter-occupied units and 19 vacant units. The town had 28 multifamily homes, all configured for two families. Minimum lot sizes are 1.5 acres except for properties grandfathered under earlier zoning regulations.
The analysis used a first-year Bethany teacher earning $60,951 annually as one example of the housing market's affordability. Assuming housing costs were limited to 30 percent of income, the teacher could afford a home costing up to $220,000. Only 14 homes sold at or below that price during the previous two years, representing 0.9 percent of the town's owner-occupied homes, according to the analysis.
A couple earning a combined $122,000 could afford a $418,000 home while remaining within the 30 percent housing-cost threshold, the analysis found, although accumulating a 20 percent down payment would be challenging. Forty-four homes sold for $418,000 or less during the previous two years, equivalent to 2.7 percent of Bethany's owner-occupied housing stock.
Housing choices were also limited for seniors seeking smaller homes. Eight homes with one or two bedrooms, no more than 1,500 square feet and less land to maintain sold during the previous two years, representing 0.5 percent of the town's owner-occupied homes.
Wuerth-Stricker's analysis concluded that Bethany lacked naturally occurring affordable housing and that existing options were limited for younger people seeking to move into town and seniors seeking to downsize without leaving Bethany.
The committee took no recorded vote on the housing research.
Members unanimously approved the minutes of their June 1 meeting, with Kimberly Brinton making the motion and Lauren Sardi seconding it. Chairman Alex Hutchinson, Brinton, Thomas Mabry, Lesley Higgins-Biddle and Sardi voted in favor.
The committee met at Bethany Town Hall and adjourned at 8:15 p.m.
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