Forum On Strickland Road Affordable Housing Proposal Postponed

GREENWICH, CT — The Greenwich Communities forum on the proposed Strickland Road affordable housing development originally scheduled for Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Town Hall and virtually via Zoom has been postponed due to the impending snowstorm.

A new date has not yet been scheduled.

The purpose of the forum was to inform residents about Greenwich Communities' (formerly the Greenwich Housing Authority) proposal to develop the surface parking lot at 0 Strickland Road near the Cos Cob Train Station into 48 affordable two-bedroom, two-bathroom units.

First Selectman Fred Camillo said in his weekly newsletter to the community last week that there's been "a lot of misinformation" about the project, which is in its infancy stages. Nothing has been approved related to the proposal.

Officials say the project would help Greenwich increase its affordable housing stock, an important step in getting in line with 8-30g, the controversial state statute put on the books in 1989 that sets a goal that 10 percent of each municipality’s housing stock must qualify as "affordable" housing.

If the 10 percent target is not met, developers may propose projects that are not subject to local zoning regulations.

During last week's Board of Selectmen meeting, Camillo said Greenwich Communities is "doing a really good job" in increasing the town's percentage of affordable housing.

He said Greenwich has gone from 5.2 percent to 5.8 percent in the last four years, notably through the renovation of existing units that weren't previously counted as affordable.

"This will be new units on a surface parking lot," Camillo said of Greenwich Communities' proposal. "Whether people want it or not, some are for it and some are against it. I caution people if you're going to be against these things, have an open mind."