Madison Trying to Encourage Affordable Housing in Town

MADISON, CT — The Madison Planning and Zoning Commission is reviewing its housing diversity and affordability regulations.

Currently, 1.62 percent of the town's housing stock is considered affordable under state guidelines. What this means is that if a developer proposes an affordable housing application in Madison, there is very little power the zoning commission has to deny the proposal even if it's all wrong for that proposed location.

Connecticut communities that have 10 percent or more of their housing stock considered affordable are immune to the state's affordable housing statute.

The zoning commission recently held a lengthy discussion on the issue of affordable housing and you can review that discussion according to meeting minutes:

Director of Planning and Economic Development David Anderson distributed and reviewed a three-page document which gave financial calculations in a section entitled, “Affordable Housing Pricing Summary for 2 Bedroom Homes,” comparing them to the estimated cost of construction for a 1,600 square foot two bedroom cape, with two car garage, and the 2016 median sales price of a two bedroom single-family home in Madison; outlined the two state statute-driven affordable housing programs and Madison’s existing affordable housing
regulations; and contained a section entitled, “Possible directions to encourage additional affordable housing development.”

Commissioners James Matteson, Joel Miller, and Joseph Bunovsky, Jr. comprise the subcommittee working with Mr. Anderson to review Madison’s planning and zoning regulations and to propose regulations to encourage the development of affordable housing in town.

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As the town’s population ages, affordable housing is needed for younger families coming into town and for the elderly who are seeking to downsize, according to Mr. Anderson. If a town has less than 10 percent of its housing affordable, the state is able to overrule that town on denying an application for affordable housing; Madison’s affordable housing units are at about 1.62 percent.

Under those circumstances, there is little a town can do to justify denying affordable housing, according to Chairman Clark. In discussing the types of affordable housing units that could be built, Mr. Anderson stated that condominiums developed as individual, two-bedroom single family homes on small lots would be attractive.

Madison is not alone in having a small percentage of affordable homes; Bethany has 0.34 percent affordable,
and Orange has 1.33 percent affordable. To making housing affordable, the units have to be deed restricted and the price has to be affordable; in addition, the size has to be restricted, somewhat, according to Mr. Anderson. The Planning and Zoning Commission has to collectively come to some direction on this issue, according to Mr. Anderson; direction is required to enable the subcommittee to recommend changes to the town’s land use regulations.

Commissioners discussed three condominium developments in town and the prices of the units; Mr. Anderson reminded them that they were discussing developments that took place under planning and zoning regulations that no longer exist. To simplify the discussion, Mr. Anderson stated that the vast majority of Madison’s housing stock is not affordable or able to be bought by people with an average income.

There are currently in town 16 housing units available for $250,000—half are building lots, others are condos, and eight are small houses scattered around town, according to Commissioner Bunovsky. It is the town’s obligation to try to allow for a diversity of housing, and the town’s land use regulations need to do that, according to Mr. Anderson.

Toward the end of the discussion, Mr. Anderson reviewed the conclusion of his written document, which outlined five problems facing Madison in the affordable housing area and potential solutions for each problem, such as amending the regulations to encourage additional affordable housing development, restricting the unit size and bedroom count within affordable housing developments, including a sunset clause that allows a deed restriction to expire after five years of continuous ownership, and restricting the sales price, but allowing anyone to purchase a unit, provided it is bought as a primary residence.

The subcommittee will continue to meet on this issue and return to the full commission with a response.

Due to the length of time spent on the housing discussion, Mr. Anderson proposed the remaining
two items on the agenda be postponed:

• Discuss initial direction for subcommittee reviewing areas of commercial development potential.
• Review 2013 Plan of Conservation & Development implementation schedule and discuss ongoing implementation strategy.