New Canaan subcommittee extends affordable-housing survey deadline, ramps up outreach

The New Canaan Affordable Housing Committee’s project development subcommittee agreed to extend its public survey and to broaden outreach measures after committee members said current response numbers were modest.

Chair Christa reported the survey had received 35 responses and asked the subcommittee how to increase participation. Members debated timing and publicity channels and agreed by consensus to extend the survey to June 23 so the outreach could align with the next first selectman’s newsletter and give residents more opportunity to respond after the school year ends.

Outreach plans agreed by the subcommittee included drafting a short press release for the selectman’s newsletter, sending targeted Everbridge/email blasts through department lists, submitting letters to local editors, distributing flyers and banner-style signage with a QR code near the train station, placing consultant display boards with QR codes at the public library, and asking community groups and the New Canaan Community Foundation to publicize the survey. Jane Williams and Hillary Orond volunteered to draft publicity copy; Chris Wilson offered to distribute printed flyers and help arrange fence signage.

Why it matters: the subcommittee said a larger response set will give staff and consultants (Amenta Emma) more robust public input to inform site ranking and cost trade-offs in its forthcoming report.

What’s next: the committee plans to reconvene in late June to review survey results and determine next steps; staff will continue responding to public email inquiries and will update the subcommittee’s frequently asked questions as needed.