Less than a five minute drive from Trinity College’s historic Hartford campus, unoccupied factories, offices and commercial buildings lie unused and untouched. On my short trips to the grocery store or daily errands these empty buildings are impossible to miss, leaving me and many others to wonder why they lie dormant? 

 Especially with the current housing crisis and a rising number of unhoused people around the city of Hartford.

In the greater Hartford area, the vacancy rate for office space is currently above 22%. Twenty-two percent of office space is completely empty and this trend of rising vacancies doesn’t seem to be limited to Hartford or even the state of Connecticut itself. In the COVID-19 pandemic world, companies and tasks were shifted online and many workers continue to utilize their newly found ability and freedom to work remotely.

Besides just office space, many other commercial buildings such as warehouses and factories sit vacant as well. 

With these spaces and buildings remaining empty, there must be some way to find a purpose beneficial to the community and greater Hartford area— and Connecticut legislators have identified this problem as well. Proposed Senate bill 703 addresses issues of converting commercial real estate. The bill, which is currently being discussed in the legislature’s 2025 session, aims to help convert these vacant properties into residential or mixed use properties by allowing and supporting developers to convert these buildings. This bill, as well as Senate bill  778 aimed at creating a tax credit for potential developments and conversions, and House bill 6121 aimed at requiring a 25% affordable housing quota, are also being proposed to further support SB 703.

 Approving legislation like this would create a large opportunity zone for developers and potentially provide city inhabitants with new economic opportunities and jobs in these conversions, but also new residences and areas for new commerce in mixed use developments. 

 These measures can be greatly beneficial, but only if done properly and with residents of Hartford in mind. 

 Many projects in other states allow developers too much free rein at times, leading to construction and conversion of these spaces into high end condos or apartments selling for a mint, which are not the most beneficial use of these spaces.

In Baltimore, the city government incentivized developers to help with affordable housing projects around the city, which has now been exposed as contributing to the housing crisis and scandals involving corruption. It ended in disaster with very little affordable housing coming to fruition, and with the developers and government officials lining their pockets.  

Besides corruption and developers misusing funds, gentrification is also an ever-pressing problem amongst projects involving new or redevelopments in municipalities. Edge Hill, a suburb of Nashville, Tennessee, has seen redevelopment by way of gentrification which has displaced numerous residents, and resulted in pricing out many more when new, larger single family homes began taking over the neighborhood.

For legislation like this to work, it must be equally beneficial to the municipalities and developers involved as well as the people who are in the most dire need for more affordable housing.

 To ensure these projects and the opportunities involved in the conversion of these commercial buildings into residential or mixed use properties remain beneficial, the legislature must offer strict guidelines for these properties. Whether these guidelines come in the form of having a certain number or percentage of low income units or rent controlled units, to ensure mixed use spaces create opportunities for local small business’ and workers to benefit— they most definitely have to include specific and detailed uses for these properties from the planning and development committee.

These projects should target lower income housing and be monitored closely by city officials to ensure developers are not taking advantage of certain tax credits and the opportunity that these developments may present.

 Bills such as SB 703, paired in tandem with SB 778 and HB 6121 are a great opportunity to bring a new vibrant life and renovation to many empty crevices of the city of Hartford, but it must be done in the right way, with not just the wealthier developers and residents in mind. 

 Logan Mueller is a Junior at Trinity College, majoring in Public Policy and Law with a concentration in Economics.