Connecticut 8-30g Affordable Housing Statute Debate

Connecticut's 8-30g statute remains a contentious issue in Westport. The state law, enacted in 1989, mandates that municipalities maintain affordable housing at 10% of their stock. Developers can bypass local zoning rules if less than 10% of housing qualifies as affordable, provided 30% of proposed projects include deed-restricted affordable units. Westport currently has only 3.97% affordable housing—far below the state goal. Critics argue 8-30g benefits developers more than residents by incentivizing large market-rate luxury projects with minimal affordable components. Supporters say the statute is necessary to address housing shortages. Recent proposals including Spinnaker's 157-unit development and potential applications at Saugatuck exemplify ongoing tension between community control and state housing mandates. The town lacks leverage to block projects under 8-30g unless affordability targets increase.