Our Town

Connecticut’s Department of Economic and Community Development has just dealt a severe blow to the future of affordable housing in Greenwich. By accepting the town’s argument that Greenwich has met the requirement to build 24 units of affordable housing in exchange for the former Cos Cob power plant site, the state has given its blessing to the town’s do-nothing affordable housing policy. The town has been rewarded for its failure to address the need for affordable housing. Far from rejoicing over this waiver, the town should hang its head in shame.

Let’s review the history. Twenty-three years ago, on July 7, 1987, the state conveyed the Cos Cob power plant property to the town for $1 with the requirement that 25% of the site be used for low income, moderate income, or senior housing. The remainder of the site was to be used for “public open space.” Without the affordable housing requirement, the state legislature would never have agreed to convey the land to the town for a dollar.

Unfortunately, the state gave no time limit for meeting the affordable housing requirement. Ten years passed. Nothing happened. On July 8, 1997, exactly ten years after the town acquired the property, the state legislature amended the original legislation at the town’s request. The 1997 Connecticut General Statutes Special Act 97-20, which amends section 5 of the 1987 Connecticut General Statutes Special Act 87-101, retains the requirement that the town se 25% of the property for low income, moderate income, or senior housing, but allows the town to use the entire site for “public open space” if the town has provided equivalent housing units on other property in town on and after October 1, 1997.

The determination as to whether or not the town has met this obligation was left to the state. The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development could waive the housing restriction on the use of the property if he, or she, determines that the town has provided “on or after October 1, 1997, housing units on other properties in said town which are equivalent to the housing units required under this subsection.” If the town is not in compliance with the provisions of this legislation, the property reverts to the state.

Again, the legislation gave no time limit for coming into compliance. Another thirteen years passed. During that time the deteriorating power plant was finally demolished and plans for open space and recreation began to take shape. But no plan to provide 24 units of affordable housing elsewhere in town was ever put forward. The housing requirement was conveniently forgotten.

On March 9 of this year the Planning and Zoning Commission approved a plan to turn the former Cos Cob power plant site into a park that includes an athletic field. P&Z thereby gave the town a green light to move forward with a plan that uses the entire site exclusively for recreational and open space purposes.

But before the town could proceed, the state had to waive the requirement that 25% of the site be used for affordable housing. And for this to happen the state had to be convinced that the town has provided equivalent housing at another location. Alas, the state bought the argument that the town has created or preserved 97 affordable units since 1997.

The town claims to have met its housing obligation by counting special needs and senior congregate living units that were developed by private, non-profit organizations without town involvement. Oh, yes, there was federal community development block grant money allocated to these projects by the town over the years, as there was also for upgrades to existing Housing Authority units. But at the time these private non-profits applied for block grant money, there never was any indication that these units were intended to meet the town’s affordable housing obligation at the Cos Cob power plant site. At the time, that would have been a laughable notion. It is an argument that the town has made only in retrospect, in order to shirk its obligation.

In truth, the town has done nothing to create any new units of affordable housing since 1997 and has never developed an alternative plan for the 24 units that would have met the housing requirement on 25% of the former power plant property. The town and the state have made a mockery of the legislation as it was originally intended. But with the passing of nearly a quarter century, things are forgotten.

The state’s waiver may allow the town to finally move forward with a plan for the power plant site after 23 years. But, in granting this waiver, the state has permitted the town to take a giant step backward. Affordable housing has fallen by the wayside.

The right thing for the town to do would be to develop a plan that will produce much needed additional affordable units because this is right for Greenwich, not because of any state requirement. But let’s not hold our breath. If the town didn’t come up with a plan for 24 units in the 23 years that there was a state requirement, what hope is there for the next quarter century?