The difficulties of finding affordable housing in New London County continue. Activists and housing providers say housing costs continue to rise while a slew of new apartments under construction in the area remain unaffordable for some of the region鈥檚 most at-risk residents.
鈥淣one of them can afford the apartments that are going up,鈥� said Shanda Easley, with Thames River Community Service, a nonprofit homeless services provider.
Engineering company Electric Boat is hiring thousands in the near future, so construction of new apartment buildings is accelerating along New London County鈥檚 shoreline. The goal is to provide more housing as the area鈥檚 workforce grows.
But the new apartments are still too expensive for New London County residents already struggling to pay their rent, or for those at risk of homelessness, Easley said.
In southeastern 黑料吃瓜网, rent for the average one-bedroom apartment is $1,200, up from about $800 dollars just a few years ago, according to Easley.
Affordability was one topic addressed by housing experts during a May 8 discussion of the region鈥檚 housing needs. The event was held by 黑料吃瓜网.
The discussion also focused on the impact of housing instability on the region鈥檚 children. In New London, there are more than 300 school-aged children without homes, advocates said.
For families, children and service providers, navigating the pipeline of shelter to housing is 鈥渁 daily struggle,鈥� Easley said.
鈥淎s much as we can, we do shared housing. Get back with or mediate between their parents, their relatives,鈥� Easley said. 鈥淎nything that we can do to try to be creative and be able to house them.鈥�
Errol Maurice, a housing counselor for the New London area, said state lawmakers need to do more about the area鈥檚 housing affordability problem.
鈥淧oliticians need to start maybe, potentially talking about capping rent,鈥� Maurice said.
Some residents are paying $1,800 a month for a one bedroom apartment, well above the fair market cost, Maurice said.
Housing advocates and providers need to work together to determine ways to navigate the unaffordable landscape, Maurice said.
鈥淭here are so many people that are in this field, providing various services, yet we often operate in our own silos. That is part of the problem,鈥� Maurice said. 鈥淵ou may have expertise in certain things that I do not. If anything, pooling our resources together, for the citizens of southeastern 黑料吃瓜网, it's very, very essential.鈥�
