New Haven is moving forward with “Vision 2034,” its new comprehensive land use, development and conservation plan. The Board of Alders gave it a big thumbs up on September 15. Next step: City Plan Commission. This 220-page plan replaces Vision 2025. It aims to guide the city’s priorities for about the next decade. Key focus areas are tackling affordable housing, rethinking zoning, dealing with short-term rentals, improving public spaces and equity, and boosting resilience. Two alarming stats: nearly half of New Haven households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Also, almost half the housing stock was built before 1950—old, perhaps inefficient, possibly difficult to maintain. To make the vision a reality, the plan doesn’t just lay out ideas. It includes mechanisms for tracking progress, public engagement, and tying parts of implementation to funding (state grants etc.). Still, it’s not final. The City Plan Commission will have a public hearing October 15, giving residents a chance to chime in once more. That matters: community feedback can shape how policies like zoning reform and housing get built on the ground. If adopted fully, it could unlock state funds, unlock better zoning, help affordability, and target equity. It could also serve as a model for other mid-sized cities wrestling with aging housing stock and affordability pressures.

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