Committee backs application for $250,000 state planning grant to develop ADU toolkit

The New Haven Community Development Committee voted to authorize an application for and potential acceptance of up to $250,000 from the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) to develop an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) planning toolkit.

Carlos Ezehague, deputy economic development administrator for the City of New Haven, presented the resolution and said the grant — if awarded — would fund a consultant‑led ADU toolkit to produce design and engineering templates, coordinated zoning and building‑code guidance, community outreach, and potential partnership models for low‑cost financing or subsidies to help homeowners add ADUs.

Why it matters: committee members and staff said the ADU toolkit aims to increase affordable, incremental housing supply across neighborhoods without requiring new land, help seniors and people with disabilities remain in place, and preserve existing housing stock by offering alternatives to demolition. The presenters noted the 2021 ADU ordinance had produced fewer ADUs than hoped and that the toolkit would address technical, cost and permitting barriers.

Scope and outreach: city staff said the toolkit would include targeted neighborhood outreach to identify candidate properties, design templates that comply with current codes, and model loan or subsidy options to help make ADUs financially feasible. Presenters said the grant would not be an enforcement tool per se but that outreach could surface unpermitted or overcrowded units for referral to life‑safety enforcement when appropriate.

Committee action: after limited public comment the committee closed the public portion and voted to apply for the DECD CIF planning grant — Resolution authorizing application and acceptance of up to $250,000 — by voice vote. Committee members said funding would let the city move quickly to consultant selection, technical design work, and outreach once the state executes the assistance agreement.

Next steps: if awarded, city staff expect to begin consultant selection, neighborhood outreach and template development under the grant timeline determined by the state. Staff said some ordinance changes under discussion (owner‑occupancy, lot coverage, occupancy limits) would be informed by the toolkit findings and subsequent community review.