Officials in New Canaan are considering a proposal for a new affordable housing development even though the town currently has a temporary pause on new affordable housing construction.
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The proposal calls for a 14-unit apartment building at 30 Parade Hill Road, which would provide housing for residents earning below the area’s median income. The project is being developed by Garden Homes Fund and The Housing Collective.
Local officials say the project is still in the early stages of the approval process, but it could move forward despite the moratorium because of the level of affordability included in the plan.
Developers say the project is designed to address growing housing needs in the region while supporting residents who may need additional services.
Under one proposal, 11 of the 14 apartments would be designated as affordable, serving households earning below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI), while the remaining three units would be rented at market rates. A second option would designate all units as affordable housing.
“Once completed, the intent here is to sell 30 Parade Hill below cost to an area housing nonprofit,” Amy Souchans, the lawyer representing the developers, said.
Some apartments would also be reserved for individuals transitioning out of homelessness and could include supportive services.
“We carefully match families with developments and communities and provide wraparound services to ensure families not only thrive but become important contributing members of their neighborhood,” said David Rich, executive director of The Housing Collective. “Permanent supportive housing for the homeless only works if it works for the families, if it works for the building, it works for the neighborhood and for the larger community.”
The proposal comes at a unique moment for New Canaan’s housing policy.
Under Affordable Housing Land Use Appeals Procedure, municipalities with less than 10% affordable housing stock cannot easily reject developments that include affordable units.
Because New Canaan has added several affordable housing developments in recent years, the town qualified for a four-year moratorium in 2024, allowing officials to temporarily decline certain new affordable housing proposals.
However, legal experts say projects with deeper affordability levels or special classifications — such as supportive housing — may still be required to move through the review process.
The development team has so far presented only a preliminary concept to the town’s planning officials. A revised proposal will be submitted to the local planning and zoning commission before any formal approval process begins.
Daniel Radman said the project will likely require a full public review.
“Our purview is to protect the town, protect the town's interest, protect the town's safety and protect the integrity and feel of the town,” Radman said. “Since, according to the state, we can't say ‘character,’ but we can say ‘feel.’ That's our mission, and we're more than willing to work with you. But there's got to be some flexibility.”
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Town officials expect the proposal to move through a public hearing process where residents will have an opportunity to comment on the development’s design, scale and community impact.
Housing affordability remains a major issue across Connecticut and the broader Northeast, particularly in communities with high home prices and limited housing supply.
Projects like the Parade Hill development highlight the ongoing tension between local zoning priorities and state policies designed to increase affordable housing availability.
As the proposal moves forward, the discussion in New Canaan is expected to reflect broader statewide debates about how communities balance housing growth, affordability and neighborhood concerns.
If approved, the project would add new housing options for lower-income residents while expanding supportive housing resources in the region.
Originally reported by Abigail Brone in CT Public.
