[Adopted 1-25-2021]
There shall be established an Affordable Housing Commission
for the Town of Old Lyme.
The Affordable Housing Commission will serve as a planning and
advisory body, and as a center of expertise and communication, working
through the Board of Selectmen and in coordination with other boards,
commissions, and departments on matters pertaining to affordable housing.
The Affordable Housing Commission shall be composed of five regular members and three alternate members who will serve staggered three-year terms, appointed by the Board of Selectmen. The initial appointments by the Board of Selectmen shall be for one-, two- and three-year terms, and thereafter all terms shall be for three years. The Commission is subject to C.G.S. § 9-167a (Minority representation), and § 101-16 shall apply to each regular and alternate member of the Commission.
All Commission members and alternate members shall be electors
of the Town of Old Lyme. Any vacancy in the regular or alternate membership
may be filled for the unexpired term of such member by the Board of
Selectmen.
The Affordable Housing Commission shall, among other things:
A.
Maintain
an understanding of affordable housing needs in Old Lyme for the present
and future, related statutory and regulatory requirements, public
policy, and best practices; develop approaches to meet those needs
and requirements. The term “affordable housing” shall
be as defined by C.G.S. Ch. 126a (Affordable Housing).
B.
Prepare
an Affordable Housing Plan for adoption by Old Lyme, and perform periodic
updates at least every five years, according to the provisions of
C.G.S. § 8-30j.
C.
Coordinate
an annual review of housing data in preparation for publication of
the Affordable Housing Appeals List by the Connecticut Department
of Housing.
D.
Work with
the Old Lyme Planning, Zoning, Economic Development, and Open Space
Commissions, and other Town functions as appropriate, on planning
and other matters related to affordable housing.
E.
Advise
the land use boards, commissions, and departments concerning applications
that include affordable housing provisions as part of the approval
process.
F.
Make recommendations
on housing policies and practices designed to meet the need for affordable
housing in Old Lyme, including changes to zoning regulations and ordinances.
G.
Develop
and maintain a list of potential opportunities for affordable housing
development; make recommendations and proposals to the Board of Selectmen.
H.
Monitor
legislation, regulations and public policy relevant to affordable
housing.
I.
Monitor
the availability of grants, programs, partnerships and other resources
to support affordable housing planning and development; make recommendations
and proposals to the Board of Selectmen.
J.
Monitor
events, practices, and trends relevant to affordable housing.
K.
Develop
and maintain a program of public engagement, communication, and education
on the topic of affordable housing for the residents of Old Lyme.
L.
Provide
a point of contact and a forum for advocacy groups, not-for-profit
organizations, and developers on matters pertaining to affordable
housing.
M.
Represent
Old Lyme in regional forums and collaborations relevant to affordable
housing.
N.
Other responsibilities
relevant to affordable housing as determined by the Board of Selectmen.
