Homes are more than where we sleep at night. They shape where our children are educated, determine our employment opportunities, who we call our neighbors, and almost every other aspect of how we grow and thrive. When our homes are unaffordable or unstable, opportunity slips out of reach.

For too many people in Connecticut, this is becoming the norm. One that is hurting families, communities, and holding our state back.

On January 20, the Partnership for Strong Communities released the first-ever State of Housing in Connecticut report, a data-driven look at how our housing system is functioning, who it is failing, and why it should matter to all of us. The report is meant to bring greater visibility, and understanding to an issue that touches every community, every employer, and every household in Connecticut.

The findings point to a clear reality: Connecticut’s housing system is not meeting the needs of the people who live and work here.

Housing costs continue to rise faster than incomes. We are not building enough homes, especially homes people can afford. And the consequences are showing up for us everywhere. In tragic and unacceptable ways like an increasing number of residents facing homelessness, families on the brink of displacement, unsafe housing conditions. And in quieter detrimental ways like longer commutes to work, businesses struggling to attract workers, and young people leaving the state because they cannot afford to live here.

These are not abstract trends. They are pressures felt by teachers, health care workers, seniors, young families, and essential workers across Connecticut. They are felt by you, or someone close to you. When we do not have stable affordable homes, our workforce shrinks, our local economies stall, and entire communities feel the strain.

The report also highlights potential remedies for what ails us. At the Partnership, we believe that data and storytelling together can drive meaningful change. This report brings together statewide and national data, insights from housing and community partners, and grounds it in experiences of those most affected by housing instability. The goal is not just to document the problem, but to chart a path forward toward housing affordability, creation, choice, and stability for every household in Connecticut.

Importantly, this report is not a one-time snapshot. The State of Housing in Connecticut will be published annually, serving as a tool to track progress and surface emerging trends. It seeks to measure whether our policy choices are actually improving people’s lives. If we want different outcomes, we need consistent, transparent information that shows where we are and where we can improve.

There is reason for hope. Communities and people across Connecticut are stepping up to test new housing models, strengthen tenant protections, work to expand rental assistance, and explore innovative approaches to ownership and affordability. These efforts demonstrate what is possible when we treat housing not just as a commodity, but as essential infrastructure for strong, thriving communities.

This report is simply an invitation to us to meet the moment with the urgency it requires. It is an invitation to shape what comes next. Because the future of our state depends on whether everyone has a safe and affordable place to call home

You can read the State of Housing in Connecticut here.

Chelsea Ross is Executive Director of the Partnership for Strong Communities.