Following a story MHProNews last covered April 7, 2014 regarding a three-unit modular housing development in Ridgefield, Conn., the state department of housing has granted Ridgefield, Connecticut a four year moratorium on applications under the state’s affordable housing plan, 8-30g. This program allows investors to ignore zoning requirements providing 30 percent of the project qualifies as affordable housing, and will be rented as such for 30 years. The town has received 18 multifamily applications totaling 584 housing units—183 of them affordable according to 8-30g. Ten projects have been completed, according to theridgefieldpress.com, and three are under construction totaling 35 units, including Ridgefield Modular Home’s three-unit project at 24 North Street.

Rebecca Mucchetti, chairwoman of the Planning and Zoning Commission, sees the four years without 8-30g as a chance to rethink the affordable housing issue. “Maybe there is a different way to approach affordable housing in the town, proactively, rather than reacting when we get an application,” she said. “My hope would be that we could, as the land use agency, the planners, take this opportunity to address and really look at what we hear is a real need in town, proactively instead of reactively.” ##

(Photo credit: Tim Martin/theday.com–Connecticut modular)