New Canaan housing panel sets May target for public meeting

Other Committee · Meeting of April 13, 2026

New Canaan Affordable Housing Committee eyes a May 18 public meeting on housing sites. Chair Chris Wilson told the full nine-member committee the project subcommittee has built a comparison chart ranking design schemes from architect Amenta Emma for candidate sites including Locust Avenue, the Lumberyard lot and Richmond Hill, with an eye toward recommending one to the Board of Selectmen. Wilson estimated total project costs could run "anywhere from $30 to $100 million," with parking-structure costs likely falling mostly on the town rather than typical housing subsidy sources.

Member Bill Peret pushed for sharper cost estimates, saying "if we could save five or 10 million, it might be terrific," while member Kristen Nielsen questioned whether blending parking and residential financing could complicate funding. The committee approved its March 9 minutes unanimously and heard no public comment.

In the full story:

• The complete report — 838 words

Source: the Other Committee meeting of April 13, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

The Full Article

NEW CANAAN — April 13, 2026 — The New Canaan Affordable Housing Committee said Monday it is aiming for the week of May 18 to hold a public meeting on three potential sites for a new affordable housing development, as members continue comparing costs and tradeoffs among design options prepared by architecture firm Amenta Emma.

All nine members attended the meeting, and the committee approved the minutes of its March 9 meeting, which had been held with a bare quorum. Chris Wilson, who chaired Monday's meeting, told colleagues the project subcommittee has built a comparison chart ranking the design schemes against several evaluation criteria and is now preparing outreach materials ahead of the public session.

The Full Story

Wilson said the subcommittee has met "quite a few" times since January working through the pros and cons of each development scheme Amenta Emma has produced for the committee's candidate sites, which members referenced during the meeting as Locust Avenue, the Lumberyard lot and Richmond Hill. He said there is "no perfect option," only a series of tradeoffs the committee hopes to present to the public before making a site recommendation to the Board of Selectmen. Committee member Jane Williams drafted a note on the project that ran in the first selectman's newsletter last week to begin building public awareness ahead of the meeting.

Wilson noted the Planning and Zoning Commission is holding its own public meeting Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Town Hall on an update to the town's commercial zoning regulations for the downtown business and retail districts, work partly driven by requirements under state House Bill 802 that must be completed before July 1. Wilson said that meeting's format, a presentation followed by breakout discussion groups, is similar to what the committee is considering for its own public session.

On financing, Wilson reported he has been working informally with Dave McCarthy of Heritage Homes and Scott Hobbs to build a first-draft model for how the town might finance an affordable housing project, and said he hopes to bring in developer Randy Salvatore for additional detail. He said funding would likely draw on four sources: project-related debt, a state Department of Housing subsidy, the 4 percent low-income housing tax credit, and a town contribution, but cautioned that the cost of building a parking structure or deck on the site would likely fall largely to the town rather than being covered by the usual affordable-housing financing tools.

That prompted an extended discussion about whether combining parking and residential financing on one project could complicate the deal. Member Kristen Nielsen, referred to in the discussion at times as "Krista," raised the question directly. Member Bill Peret pressed further, asking whether a cost consultant should be brought in now to sharpen cost estimates and questioning whether a cheaper site might ultimately serve the town better, citing New Canaan's high debt per capita. Wilson said the committee is currently relying on high-level, order-of-magnitude cost figures from Amenta Emma rather than detailed engineering estimates, which he said would require significant additional spending to obtain. He estimated total project costs across the sites under discussion could range from $30 million to $100 million.

"Is there any sense on whether it would be better to separate those from the residential piece because of whatever strings come along with the money for the residential part?" [—] Kristen Nielsen, committee member

"I realize five or 10 million may not break the bank, but if we could save five or 10 million, it might be terrific." [—] Bill Peret, committee member

"It's going to cost anywhere from $30 to $100 million probably." [—] Chris Wilson, committee chair

Members agreed the public meeting itself should stay at a high level on costs, presenting broad information on how affordable housing projects are typically financed rather than specific figures for the candidate sites, in part because detailed estimates are not yet available. No members of the public spoke during the meeting's comment period.

Why It Matters

The committee's site recommendation will shape where New Canaan builds its next round of affordable housing, a project intended to help the town secure a moratorium from further development under the state's 8-30g affordable housing statute. The choice among Locust Avenue, the Lumberyard lot and Richmond Hill carries different tradeoffs on cost, unit count, parking and traffic, and members acknowledged residents will likely have strong opinions once specific sites and renderings are shown publicly.

With cost estimates for the overall effort ranging as high as $100 million and no chair currently leading the committee's own finance subcommittee, how the town pays for construction, particularly a parking structure that may fall largely on local taxpayers, remains an open question the committee expects to face more directly after the May public meeting.

Key Motions & Votes

- Vote: Approve March 9, 2026 meeting minutes Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Motion to adjourn Tally: Approved unanimously

Source

Town Of New Canaan: Affordable Housing Committee meeting, April 13, 2026