NEW HAVEN, Conn. — The housing crisis is creating a dire situation for many people across Connecticut. Now, New Haven leaders are introducing a new ordinance to add more options for affordable housing.
“We all are very concerned about access to housing,” said New Haven’s Mayor Justin Elicker at a press conference at City Hall Thursday. “It’s a really urgent situation for many people in the community.”
If adopted, OR-2023-0047 would allow for more ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units).
“An accessory dwelling unit is a residential unit that is on the same parcel as a single-family dwelling, or a multi-family structure,” Elicker said.
That structure operates independently of the home with its bathroom, kitchen, and living space.
At the moment, New Haven has the capability for 19,000 ADUs thanks to an ordinance passed in 2021. However, that ordinance is limited. Right now, ADU owners must live on the property. They’re also only allowed to put an ADU in an already-existing structure, like a detached garage or a basement.
“So the ADU ordinance in its current form resulted in no new housing units as of right,” said Laura Brown, City Plan Department Executive Director.
Brown said since the 2021 ordinance was passed, a total of 11 people have gotten permits for an ADU on their property. However, all 11 had to get other special approvals to make it work. Therefore, the “as of right” intention of the ordinance (which means people shouldn’t have to make any zoning changes) simply isn’t working.
The new phase of the ordinance, already in the hands of the Board of Alders, gets rid of the owner occupancy rule and allows people to build brand new structures on their property. Those structures, however, do have to follow the current building code.
“The more that we can streamline and remove barriers to the process, that all contributes to the owner being able to rent that property at a lower rate,” said Karen Dubois-Walton, President of Elm City Communities.
If passed, a total of 4,000 new parcels could be created throughout the city of New Haven.
“Homeowners might think, ‘Wow, I didn’t realize that this is an option where I can build a new structure in my backyard that can house my parents.’ Or potentially a small landlord could say, ‘Wow, I didn’t realize that I could increase my revenue by having another unit come online,’” Elicker said.
As for the timeline here, the Board of Alders now must take the proposal to the committee and then vote on it. Elicker said the fastest it could happen is in two months, but it could take longer.
For more information on ADUs and the ordinance, the city has created a website to break it all down for residents.
Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com Follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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