By: Shreyas Nair, Research Associate
On Saturday, April 27th, the Partnership for Strong Communities hosted a housing forum in Norwich that brought together local officials, nonprofits, financial institutions, and community organizations that were all focused on one issue: housing.
Resource Fair
The event began with a resource fair, where over a dozen organizations set up tables offering everything from first-time homebuyer assistance to emergency shelter services. What quickly became apparent was that housing in Norwich is not just about finding a place to live, but rather about navigating a complex system of supports, barriers, and opportunities. Walking through the fair, one could encounter organizations addressing very different parts of the housing spectrum.
Groups like Habitat for Humanity and Liberty Bank focused on making homeownership more accessible, particularly for first-time buyers. Others, like Thames Valley Council for Community Action, offered a broader range of services, including housing assistance, employment programs, and support for families in crisis. Several organizations focused on urgent or transitional needs. Safe Futures provides shelter and services for survivors of domestic violence, while Thames River Family Program supports young adults experiencing housing instability with short-term shelter and life management services.
What stood out was not just the number of resources available, but how specialized they are. From financial literacy programs at Centreville Bank to public housing support through the Norwich Housing Authority, the system is robust, but also complex. For someone in need, simply knowing where to start can be a major hurdle.
Providers in attendance included Always Home, Centreville Bank, Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, CorePlus Federal Credit Union, Habitat for Humanity Eastern CT, Liberty Bank, Housing Development Fund, Norwich Housing Authority, Norwich Human Services, Thames River Community Services Inc., Norwich Community Development, Thames Valley Council for Community Action, UCFS, Norwich Public Schools, and Partnership for Strong Communities.
Introductions and Opening Remarks
In opening remarks, speakers highlighted both optimism and urgency. Norwich was described as a diverse and growing city with expanding job and economic development opportunities. At the same time, it is not particularly affordable to live there.
Norwich Mayor Swarnjit Singh emphasized the importance of connecting residents to resources and highlighted future development projects, particularly workforce housing. He also highlighted investments in public spaces, including plans to convert land into parks, as part of a broader vision to improve the quality of life alongside increased housing access. The message was clear: growth is coming, but the city needs to ensure that residents aren’t left behind. As Mayor Singh put it, “It’s important to show up.”
After introductions from the Partnership for Strong Communities’ Executive Director, Chelsea Ross, and the Operations and Equity Director, Carline Charmelus, and opening remarks from Mayor Singh, one of the most striking parts of the event came from a presentation on Norwich’s housing realities. Amy Peltier, the Partnership’s Coalition and Advocacy Director, painted a very real picture of Norwich Demographics and what its residents face:
- Roughly 45% of residents are people of color, higher than the state average.
- The poverty rate is around 16%.
- 60% of housing units were built before 1970, raising concerns about quality and maintenance.
- About one-third of renters are cost-burdened, spending a large share of their income on housing.
These numbers highlight a central tension: Norwich has strong community assets, yet many residents struggle to access stable, affordable housing.
Panel Discussion
The forum ended with a special panel discussion regarding housing solutions to strengthen family stability and reduce poverty. Panelists included staff attorney for the CT Fair Housing Center, Sarah White; project manager for the Thames Valley Council for Community Action, Jaime Parker; community advocate, Enock Petit-Homme; and executive director for Habitat for Humanity of Eastern Connecticut, Sarah Lufler. Within the topic of housing solutions, the panel discussion centered on a deceptively simple question: why is stable housing so critical to ending childhood poverty?
The answers pointed to something broader than housing itself. Stable housing creates consistency, which is something essential for child development. Without it, families face frequent moves, disrupted schooling, and limited access to healthcare and community support systems. Housing instability doesn’t just reflect poverty; it actively reinforces it. Panelists emphasized that when housing is unstable, nearly every other intervention, be it education, employment, or even health services, becomes harder to deliver effectively.
When asked about the biggest obstacles to building safe and affordable housing, the discussion turned to both structural and policy challenges. A major concern raised was the role of eviction practices. Panelists highlighted the impact of “no-fault” evictions, where tenants can be displaced despite meeting lease terms, often with disproportionate effects on vulnerable communities. Proposed policies like just-cause eviction protections (referred to as SB 257) were discussed as a way to provide more stability for renters. At the same time, affordability remains a persistent issue. Even when housing exists, it is often out of reach for low- and moderate-income families, contributing to the high number of cost-burdened renters in Norwich.
The conversation also explored what tenant protections should look like more broadly. Here, the goal is not just preventing displacement but creating a baseline of housing security so families can plan for the future without constant uncertainty. Locally, Norwich’s Fair Rent Commission was highlighted as a meaningful tool. It can help mediate disputes and address extreme rent increases, but panelists made clear that it is not a complete solution. Broader policy changes at the state level will likely be necessary to reduce housing instability and child poverty significantly.
One of the more optimistic themes was collaboration. Panelists emphasized a strong willingness among housing organizations, service providers, and community groups to work together. But collaboration alone isn’t enough without public awareness. Education, especially helping residents understand available resources, tenant rights, and ongoing policy debates, was identified as a key gap.
For those looking to get involved, panelists pointed to practical steps: following organizations on social media, visiting their websites, and tracking housing-related legislation coming out of Hartford. The message was straightforward: meaningful change doesn’t just come from large policy shifts, but from sustained community engagement.
Concluding Remarks
Events like this highlight both the strengths and the limitations of the current housing landscape in Norwich. There is no shortage of organizations working to help; however, coordination, funding, accessibility, and scale remain ongoing challenges. If there was one consistent message throughout the day, it was this: housing is foundational. Without stable housing, progress in education, employment, and health becomes much harder to achieve. Norwich doesn’t lack ideas or effort. The challenge now is turning both into lasting, structural change.
Resources: