Good Morning, Norwalk!
Outgoing Zoning Chair Talks About Workforce Housing
by Dorothy Mobilia
Jul. 17, 2006

Download pdf of "Good Morning, Norwalk!" -- a presentation on workforce housing.

Dear Fellow Democrats:

You may have heard about a controversy over a proposed workforce housing amendment to the zoning regulations. Recently, the Democratic leaders on the Council opposed it so strongly they refused to reappoint the (Democratic) Zoning Commission chairman.

However, the concept of workforce housing came out of a Democratic Town Committee seminar held in March 2005. Stamford speakers told the assembly that while they successfully lured major companies to their city, they began to lose them 10 years later. Housing prices rose so substantially that the skilled, educated workers were moving out of town. Many took jobs closer to their homes to avoid the long commute. Companies followed, to cities like Norwalk, in pursuit. The speakers warned that the accelerated cost of housing in our city would lead to similar corporate flight.

Stamford's solution was to enact affordable housing regulations. Our administration, and apparently, the Democratic Council leadership, are opposed to having a regulation on the books that would require all developers to include affordable units in all new construction of more than 12 units. They prefer a voluntary approach, that is, working with developers to persuade them to include affordable. Unfortunately, persuasion has not worked in the past, as in the Avalon proposal for 312 units of luxury housing at the Pathmark site and the 235-unit development at Pepperidge Farm off. Both locations would have been ideal for mixed income housing.

In presentations before the Zoning Commission and the Liaison Committee of the Zoning and Planning Commissions, developers said they support the concept of mixed incomes within a community, and would build them if there was a level playing field; that is, if all builders were required to do the same.

Keep in mind that Norwalk's percentage of affordable units is slipping toward the 10% state mandate, and will seriously be threatened once all the Redevelopment Agency proposals for mixed-use development are in place. Going below that mandate means developers can build multifamily housing in any zone they choose, and the city will lose control of its zones. The workforce proposal, targeting the moderate income population of skilled, educated workers, would help to keep Norwalk above the 10%.

It is possible the workforce proposal will go to a public hearing, despite opposition from the Administration, the Council leadership and new members on the Zoning Commission. The attached PDF, "Good Morning, Norwalk!" is a presentation giving a national and state perspective, as well as findings from the Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce and the City personnel office and Board of Education. It is helpful for us all to have an informed position.

Respectfully,

Dorothy Mobilia
Former ZC Chair

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