The Housing Collective and NYU Furman Center’s Housing Solutions Lab Partner to Advance Housing Policy Implementation in Connecticut

Federally funded Afford CT initiative will build on existing state and local expertise to support housing planning, policy implementation, and shared learning

BRIDGEPORT, CONN. (October 22) – The Housing Collective today announced the launch of Afford CT, a new statewide initiative in partnership with the NYU Furman Center's Housing Solutions Lab to help Connecticut communities translate housing policy, research, and data into practical guidance for local implementation.

Supported by Congressionally Directed Spending secured through the efforts of Democratic United States Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Afford CT will bring together state, regional, municipal, and community partners to identify opportunities to strengthen housing policy implementation, build on existing resources, and support communities working to expand and preserve affordable housing.

The initiative comes as Connecticut municipalities and Councils of Governments (COGs) undertake new Housing Growth Planning requirements. Afford CT will complement this work by engaging partners to better understand existing planning resources, local data and measurement needs, and challenges encountered in translating housing policy into action. These conversations will help shape the development of Connecticut-specific guidance, implementation resources, and opportunities for peer learning.

The Housing Collective will partner with the Housing Solutions Lab, an interdisciplinary research and policy initiative at the NYU Furman Center that supports local governments in planning, launching, and evaluating housing policies. Working with The Housing Collective and a statewide project advisory group, the Lab will help translate relevant housing research, national best practices, and Connecticut data into practical resources informed by the experience and priorities of partners across the state.

“Connecticut has tremendous housing expertise and important work already underway at the state, regional, and local levels,” said Jessica Kubicki, President and CEO of The Housing Collective. “Afford CT is an opportunity to build on that foundation, listen to the communities and organizations doing this work, and identify where additional guidance, tools, and shared learning can make a difference. Our goal is to support the people already working to turn housing plans and policies into meaningful progress for Connecticut communities.”

Over the course of the project, Afford CT will engage the housing sector to identify priority implementation and information needs. That work will inform publicly accessible guidance and resources, recommendations to address housing data and measurement gaps, and peer-learning opportunities for municipalities, regional planning organizations, policymakers, and housing practitioners. Resources will address housing growth and preservation, with an emphasis on helping communities apply existing evidence and policy approaches in their local contexts.

“The Housing Solutions Lab is dedicated to helping local leaders plan, launch, and evaluate equitable housing policies. We're thrilled to provide resources and support to housing leaders in Connecticut for the first time through our partnership with The Housing Collective,” said Martha Galvez, Executive Director, Housing Solutions Lab at the NYU Furman Center. “This initiative is at the core of our mission at the Lab, helping local leaders advance solutions that respond to their communities’ housing affordability and supply challenges.”

“One of the biggest concerns I hear from people across Connecticut is the difficulty of finding affordable housing options,” said United States Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut. “With this $723,000 in federal funding, the Housing Collective will support the coordination and implementation of housing policies to help more people in Connecticut find the resources they need to access safe and affordable homes.”

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About The Housing Collective

The Housing Collective strengthens Connecticut's housing and homelessness systems by aligning communities, public agencies, and service providers around coordinated, regional solutions. For 20 years, we have served as a backbone organization, helping partners work across boundaries to reduce homelessness, expand access to affordable housing, and build systems that support long-term housing stability.

About the NYU Furman Center's Housing Solutions Lab

The Housing Solutions Lab and the NYU Furman Center works with local governments and housing practitioners to help communities plan, launch, and evaluate equitable housing policies. Through research, technical assistance, and peer learning, the Lab helps translate housing evidence into practical strategies that respond to local conditions and priorities