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Committee debates shifting affordable-unit qualification to Section 8 for Standard at Four Corners
Summary
The Mansfield Affordable Housing Committee examined a developer's request to change affordable-unit qualification from LITCH to Section 8 for a 392-unit mixed-use project at 1725 Storrs Rd, hearing applicants' leasing concerns and committee members' worries about student eligibility and impacts on non-student households.
The Mansfield Affordable Housing Committee on March 5 reviewed an application from The Standard at Four Corners LLC to change the qualification standard for required affordable and workforce units from LITCH to Section 8 for a 392-unit mixed-use development at 1725 Storrs Road.
J. Kaufman, Director of Planning and Development, framed the request for application P1372-3 and said the Planning and Zoning Commission will consider the change on March 16, 2026. Attorney Amy Souchuns, representing the applicant, described leasing challenges the project has faced and said adopting Section 8 eligibility could broaden access for people who need affordable housing. Chase Powell of Landmark Properties said some applicants have been turned away solely because of their student status under the current standard.
Associate Dean J. Armstrong, during public comment, urged committee members to consider the university's "high need" students and noted the university does not provide affordable student housing; he said financial aid, grants, scholarships and private loans are the primary supports for those students.
Committee member P. Stearn said the underlying problem is high rent and argued that lowering standards to Section 8 "doesn't serve the non-student population"; he said he preferred delaying a recommendation to allow a comprehensive review of the town's inclusionary zoning provisions. Staff and members also discussed the development's unit mix and the project's inclusion of utilities in rent, a factor in assessing household cost burden.
When members were polled on the application, two members indicated support for changing to Section 8, one member opposed the change and one member abstained; minutes do not record a formal motion or recommendation from the committee on P1372-3.
No formal action on P1372-3 was recorded in the minutes. The Planning and Zoning Commission is listed as the body set to consider the application on March 16, 2026.
The committee approved its February 5, 2026 minutes earlier in the meeting; M. Wharten moved to approve, W. Bigl seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.
The committee will next meet on April 2, 2026, at 5 p.m.
