HISTORY/BACKGROUND Darien, Connecticut, a New England bedroom community incorporated in 1820, is comprised of approximately 20,000 residents in southwestern Fairfield County. Bounded by two of the State's largest cities, Stamford to the west, and Norwalk to the east, and New Canaan north and Long Island Sound south, Darien serves commuters to New York City and beyond with its two train stations in Noroton Heights and Downtown Darien, as well as its easy access to I-95 and the Merritt Parkway. Darien, while a small town, it has a rather large sense of community made up of historical New England neighborhoods. Its history, architecture and coastlines are considered integral to the town's character, and where carefully-planned residential as well as non-residential development enhances the community's economic stability. The State of Connecticut's stated policy is that each municipality should have at least ten percent (10%) of its housing stock qualify as ―affordable housing‖. To achieve that goal, the Town of Darien would have to add 700+ more affordable housing units, per the anticipated 2010 Census figures, to reach that goal. However, the creation of 700+ additional affordable housing units may not be practical due to such factors as the already highly developed nature of Darien, the lack of buildable space, the cost of land in Darien and the burden that so many new housing units would place on the town's existing infrastructure (such as the local road and drainage systems). Yet, Darien recognizes the building of any affordable units provides valuable housing resources for the town. Based on Connecticut's need to have more affordable housing in the State, the Connecticut General Assembly enacted affordable housing legislation, CGS Section 8-30g (―8-30g‖), to encourage both public and private development of affordable housing. Historically, the Town of Darien has consistently and carefully built the following affordable housing units: 1940s/1950s Allen O'Neill Housing: State moderate rental housing development, forty-one (41) single-family homes and one 12-unit apartment building; 1985: Old Town Hall Homes: Elderly rental housing owned and operated by the Darien Housing Authority – thirty (30) units of senior housing; 1987: Villager Pond Condominiums: deed restricted housing – two (2) units; 1995: Clock Hill Homes: Thirty (30) moderate-income condominium owner-occupied units were built by a private developer and have interfaced with the neighbors and town nicely. They serve as an example of aesthetics and management techniques for other such affordable housing developments; and Early 2000s: AvalonBay Communities: Forty-seven (47) affordable units within a 189 unit complex In total, the Town has provided one-hundred, sixty-two (162) affordable housing units.

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