Municipal Affordable Housing Technical Assistance Initiative

History: The Department of Housing established the Municipal Affordable Housing Technical Assistance Initiative in 2024. Originally designed to support the implementation of C.G.S. 8 30j Affordable Housing Plans, the initiative has since been expanded to assist municipalities in carrying out the comprehensive housing planning process established under Public Act 25-1, An Act Concerning Housing Growth. Assistance offered through the initiative provides municipalities and councils of governments (COGs) with resources that help advance housing choice.

Purpose: MAHTAI was created to provide resources and direct assistance to municipalities seeking to implement components of their local and regionally adopted housing plans. MAHTAI offers support services that empower communities to address local challenges and overcome obstacles that hinder or delay the development and preservation of affordable housing units. The program aims to improve local and regional conditions that impact housing development. The initiative also provides access to a range of agency resources, including pre engineering and site suitability assessments for town- and state owned properties.

Process: If you are seeking assistance, contact Benjamin Lovejoy by email at Benjamin.Lovejoy@ct.gov to schedule a consultation meeting. During this meeting, DOH and municipal staff will discuss local conditions, challenges, and opportunities to expand housing choice and identify where the agency may be able to assist. We want to hear from you and welcome all ideas. Reach out today and let us know how we may help.

Eligible Participants are:
Municipalities & Councils of Governments

We also welcome contact from collaborations between Affordable Housing Committees and municipal planning staff.

Examples of Projects Supported by MAHTAI are:

• Preapproved Building Design Guidelines
• Estimated Unit-Based Housing Development Opportunities
• Town-Wide Ranked Parcel Analysis
• Targeted Land Use Regulation Rewrites
• Updated and Modernized Approval Processes
• Identification of Key Redevelopment Zones
• Individual Parcel Conceptual Designs
• Soil Sampling, Septic Capacity, Pre Engineering

Contact: Benjamin Lovejoy, Planning Specialist – Benjamin.Lovejoy@ct.gov