Letter to the Editor: Unchecked Rent Increases Hurt Entire Communities

To the Editor:

Connecticut’s housing crisis affects all of us in ways many do not realize. Often, the topic is framed as a problem only for renters. That is a mistake. When renters are priced out, entire communities, including homeowners, feel the consequences.

In southeastern Connecticut, we are seeing job growth and economic opportunity, particularly around General Dynamics. But that growth is colliding with a severe housing shortage. When supply is tight and oversight is limited, it creates conditions where tenants can be pushed to the brink. General Dynamics has no interest in investing in housing, so they will not be riding in to fix the issue.

We are seeing the housing problem play out in real time with residents at Bay Point in Niantic. After years of stability, tenants are now facing steep rent increases following the acquisition of their building by Alpha Capital. For many, especially seniors on fixed incomes, working families, and young people just starting out, these increases are not just difficult; they are unsustainable. When residents cannot absorb those costs, they are forced to leave the communities they have long called home.

This is not just a renter issue. When people are pushed out, local businesses lose workers, schools lose stability, and towns lose the sense of continuity that makes them strong. Housing instability drives up costs elsewhere as well, including in social services and emergency response systems.

If we want to address this problem, we need to think beyond short-term fixes. One part of the solution is to expand housing options that are stable, affordable, and locally accountable.

In Niantic, AHEPA Housing provides a model. This nonprofit housing community offers affordable homes for residents aged 62 and older, allowing seniors to remain in the area without being priced out. By supporting and expanding models like this, including town- or region-supported housing, we can create stability for seniors while also freeing up other housing for families and workers.

This is not a radical idea. In fact, many communities once took a more active role in providing or supporting housing options before stepping away from those efforts decades ago. Reconsidering that approach today could help address one of the most pressing challenges we face.

We cannot afford to ignore what is happening. Allowing unchecked rent increases and instability in our housing market does not just harm tenants; it weakens entire communities.

Addressing this issue will require leadership, creativity, and a willingness to act. The alternative is a future where fewer and fewer people can afford to live in the places they work, grew up, or hope to call home. That’s going to hurt our communities and the people who live in them. 

It is not a future Connecticut should accept, and it’s not one I will accept.

Sincerely,
State Rep. Nick Menapace, D-East Lyme

Editor’s Note: Menapace represents East Lyme and parts of Montville and Salem.