Graphic by Yujin Kim ’23/The Choate News
For decades, Connecticut has faced persistent housing inequality issues, leaving many minority groups with limited access to affordable housing in towns such as New Haven, where neighborhoods are often dominated by a single race.
Zoning laws restrict the type of housing that can be built on a plot of land and can stipulate requirements for dwellings built. This legislation has been a key driver of the state’s housing inequality because zoning laws can be used as a tool to create unaffordable housing in targeted areas. Connecticut, for the most part, only allows single-family homes to be built, but options like apartments or multi-family homes would increase affordability for many people.
In response to this inequality, an organization called Desegregate CT was founded in June 2020, at a time when deep societal inequities were once again brought to the forefront of people’s minds. Desegregate CT’s mission is to “pursue statewide zoning reform and to organize for the creation of more diverse types of housing,” explained Outreach Coordinator Kevin Kurian.
The group’s work mainly involves creating proposals for legislation that can facilitate zoning reform. For instance, the recently passed bill HB 6107 legalized “accessory dwelling units, which is a type of housing that’s a small apartment enclosed within a larger single-family home.” The organization is also working to ensure that local commissioners receive adequate training before granting the ability to make zoning decisions.
Kurian highlighted some of the hurdles faced by Desegregate CT, such as the fact that many individuals believe that the group is planning on constructing high rises in their town, even though the organization’s goal is to create affordable suburban housing. “People are really afraid of change and when you’re talking about something not very well understood like zoning, you’re going to have people think you’re doing something that you’re not trying to do,” he shared.
Estelle Guira ’23 recently worked with the organization to raise awareness on the inequality that zoning laws have created. According to Guira, she “wrote op-eds to state legislators consisting of the benefits of reforming zoning laws” as part of her experience.
Mr. Kurian is confident in Desegregate CT’s future. “Our future is strong because it’s driven by young people, and I think that’s the real key in the longevity of any given organization.”
