Salisbury Affordable Housing Commission (SAHC)
Established as an Official Town Commission in 2010 by the Salisbury Board of Selectmen, the Affordable Housing Commission facilitates and promotes the creation of affordable housing in the town of Salisbury. We meet on the third Thursday of every month at 5:30 PM via Zoom.
For meeting agendas and minutes, visit the Town of Salisbury page.
2023 Salisbury Survey on Affordable Housing Needs
The SAHC conducted a survey of residents, workers, and those who would like to live in Salisbury to learn more about how people perceive the need for affordable housing in town. The results were presented, along with an updated draft of the Town’s Affordable Housing Plan, in a community forum on June 17.
Click here to download the survey results.
What we do
Host public forums and information sessions focused on the potential development of affordable housing
Solicit community feedback on affordable housing opportunities
Produce and maintain the Town’s affordable housing plan
Provide funding to individuals and nonprofits that develop affordable properties, including our partners at the Salisbury Housing Trust and the Salisbury Housing Committee
Our Impact
Salisbury is a town made great by the people who live and work here. From the volunteer firefighters and ambulance squads who keep us safe, to the fantastic teachers at Salisbury Central School who educate our children, to the knowledgeable employees at the small businesses around town, people are what create the strong sense of community we so value in our town.
The truth is that many who work in Salisbury, and many current residents, cannot afford to live here. The most recently available data shows that 295 households in Salisbury paid more than 50% of their household income on housing costs. These households are considered severely housing cost burdened and are often just one unexpected car repair or emergency medical expense away from having to decide whether to pay for housing, food, transportation, or the medical care that they need.
This severe financial burden placed on hundreds of residents is due, in part, to the lack of affordable home ownership properties in our town. In 2021, according to the Greater Hartford Association of Realtors, the median sale price for a single-family home in Salisbury was $700,000. In comparison, based on data from the American Community Survey and the Zillow affordability calculator, the estimated affordable home value for families currently renting in Salisbury is $150,000. If we want to make home ownership an option for renters, we must make up for this $550,000 gap between affordable and actual home prices.
The town also lacks affordable rental properties, which many young adults and families rely upon. Our town currently has only 39 affordable rental units. These units are all fully occupied and turnover is infrequent. In the meantime, there are 99 individuals and families on the waitlist for affordable rentals. Every week our property managers receive additional phone calls from families and individuals in need of an affordable apartment.
In sum, in 2021, only 1.54% of Salisbury’s housing qualified as dedicated affordable.
We at the Salisbury Affordable Housing Commission see the housing challenge as an opportunity. Access to affordable housing is a powerful shaping force that impacts education, health care, and economic development, creating sustainable growth for small towns like ours. Supporting affordable housing in Salisbury is not an act of charity, but an investment into the longevity and vitality of our community.
And the good news is that multiple nonprofit organizations in Salisbury are actively creating affordable housing. Salisbury Housing Trust is currently developing five affordable home ownership properties, and the Salisbury Housing Committee is working on three multi-family rental developments. Now we just need your proactive support to make these projects happen!
We encourage you to get involved by attending public forums, writing to local papers in support of affordable housing, or donating to the Salisbury Housing Committee and Salisbury Housing Trust. To stay up to date on more ways to contribute, sign up for our email list here.
Contact information
If you have any questions about affordable housing in Salisbury or to let us know about a housing need for you or a family, please contact Georgia Petry, Housing Coordinator, at gpetry@salisburyct.us.