Stable Homes, Strong Communities

Towns, cities and local organizations in Litchfield County fight an uphill battle to create more housing that is affordable, often because of public perceptions about what affordable housing looks like, how it’s built, who needs it, and how it contributes to a community. Housing advocates and community leaders need to begin changing these perceptions and building public will for affordable housing by using our toolkit: Building Community Support for Affordable Housing in Litchfield County.

As you use these tools you may also find our Litchfield County Housing Needs Assessment Tool helpful as it provides data and analysis on housing stock characteristics, household incomes and affordability for all of the county’s 26 towns. Within this you will find tips and examples for engaging your community through:

• Op-eds
• Letters-to-the-editor
• Social media posts
• E-newsletters
• FAQs
• Public meeting testimony
• Communication with elected officials

That’s why the Center for Housing Equity and Opportunity Eastern CT (CHEO) developed this playbook of recommendations to help advocates change the narrative around affordable housing in the region. CHEO conducted surveys and listening sessions with national systems change experts TheCaseMade in 2023 to understand how residents feel about housing and their communities as a whole.

Our surveys and listening sessions revealed some of the aspirations and concerns of eastern Connecticut residents.

• “Parents will be thrilled that their 20-and 30-year-olds can move out of the house!”
• “The region is getting older. This situation will only drive up the property tax.”
• “We'll have enough housing that people can access and afford for their budgets.”
• “Young people will leave the region and the economy will suffer.”
• “We'll save money! Town's education costs will go down. There will be a ripple effect on household income.”
• “Some of us face the idea of becoming homeless, with no place to go, or living in unsafe circumstances.”
• “There will be access to the care folks need that's close to where they live.”
• “We'll see continued and increased stress on a substantial portion of our population.”
• “Our young people will have options for staying in the community!”
• “The cost of living is going to continue to rise.”

We are at a critical moment. The housing crisis is impacting more people than ever before, so we have an opportunity to build more support for housing than ever before. A nationwide uprising in support of racial equity took place just a few years ago, so we have an opportunity to make equity part of our call to action. Eastern Connecticut residents feel it. They know the cost of living is rising, instability is growing, and racial and economic inequity is a problem, but they don’t see affordable housing as a solution. It’s our responsibility to show them.

Those reading this report understand the value of a stable home. You know it’s more than statistics or real estate. It’s a feeling: a feeling that things will be alright, and that you can tackle troubles and accomplish goals because you have a foundation. Most other people understand this, too, but as advocates we don’t really talk about this feeling. Instead, we talk about data or land use, or we get trapped into talking about politics, public assistance or “community character.” We’re not making a persuasive case.

The truth is that we’re never only talking about housing when we talk about housing, especially “affordable housing.” The topic is bound up with other ideas, some positive, many negative. This has been a challenge for housing advocates, but we can turn it into an opportunity. We can tap into the positive ideas associated with “home” and leverage them to build support.

The idea of “investing in critical community infrastructure” does not necessarily inspire people. Some residents even hear terms like this and distrust them. Affordable housing is critical community infrastructure, but we need to change our messaging to communicate this idea and make it inspiring for our neighbors. What does inspire people? Love. Family. Diversity. Stability. Home. We will move the needle once residents begin associating these positive ideas with affordable housing.

The survey responses we gathered revealed widespread anxiety over the cost of living, distrust of government, and a feeling of isolation from the rest of the state. Yet we also found strong connections between neighbors, a desire for diversity, and a deep appreciation for the opportunity and connectivity which eastern Connecticut offers. Ultimately, most residents are simply seeking stability, at home and within their community. Our new narrative must tap into these feelings.

Based on this research, we developed six recommendations to help housing advocates create a new narrative that redefine affordable housing as an asset for everyone, and inspires people to support it. These recommendations are designed to help you build on the positives and reframe the negatives. Use them to improve how you make your case, and let your community know what we’re really talking about when we talk about affordable housing. 

Recommendations

Use the following recommendations to shape how you build support for affordable housing within your community. Different residents have different interests, from homeowners to renters and business owners to local officials. Still, many people across eastern Connecticut share certain concerns and aspirations. These recommendations will help you speak to these concerns and aspirations, and move people to take action in favor of affordable housing.

1. Position housing as a solution to common concerns like the rising cost of living and displacement.
2. Clearly establish the connection between affordable housing, jobs, and economic development.
3. Introduce equity to housing conversations and center the stories of those most impacted by rising housing costs.
4. Demonstrate that affordable housing comes in many forms and serves people of many backgrounds and income-levels.
5. Focus on solutions, not problems. Emphasize success stories instead of the negative consequences of the housing shortage.
6. Navigate away from negative narratives. Instead, build optimism and remind residents they have the power to make change.