Symposium works on regional strategy to address affordable housing in Danbury

November 01-14, 2006; As originally appeared in Tribuna Connecticut By Emanuela P. Lima

On October 26th, the Housing Development Fund and the United Way of Northern Fairfield County sponsored a symposium on affordable housing at the Sheraton Danbury Hotel.

The event brought both national and state experts together with town leaders and planning and zoning officials to begin work on a regional strategy to address the issue of affordable housing in the greater Danbury area.

The panel was moderated by Joan Carty, executive director of the Housing Development Fund and graced with the expertise of panelists Alan Malach, research director of the National Housing Institute; Clayton Fowler, chairman and CEO of Spinnaker Companies; Phyllis Kapiloff, zoning board chairwoman of Stamford; and Robin Stein, land bureau chief, Stamford.

Keynote panelist Alan Malach and others at the meeting advocated for what they call “inclusionary” zoning -- using town planning and zoning regulations to promote affordable housing — achieved by requiring developers to dedicate a certain percentage of new units constructed to affordable housing, also subsequently mixing people from various income levels in the same development. After each panelist shared their view on the issue, the floor was opened for questions from the audience, followed by a where to from here session” encouraging participants to engage in a continuing dialogue on. the issue. For more information, contact 77na Mazzella of the United Way of Northern Fairfield County at (203) 792-5330.