The Housing Collective

05/30/2026

Thanks to the Liberty Bank Foundation for their generous support of the Center for Housing Opportunity Eastern CT.

Our Eastern CT center works to produce, preserve, and protect housing for people of all backgrounds in New London, Tolland, and Windham Counties.

05/29/2026

“Residents know what they need within their own communities to build support for housing, and so [we’re] really putting the power in the local residents’ hands to be able to — with the support of the Housing for All Network — expand their impact.” Our Margaret LeFever spoke to the Connecticut Mirror about the benefits of joining the new resident-led Housing for All Network.

The advocacy effort will focus on policy changes in Connecticut suburbs and rural towns, with the goal of expanding affordable housing.

05/28/2026

Our Eastern Connecticut Director Beth Sabilia has helped tenants organize themselves and fight unfair rents in New London and Niantic. Next week, she joins Partnership for Strong Communities to explore what tenant organizing looks like on the ground during Building Tenant Power: Organizing for Stability.

🕘 Wednesday, June 3 | 9 AM – 12 PM
📍 Mattatuck Museum, Waterbury
🔗 https://heyor.ca/DTh64S

05/27/2026

We're launching a statewide network to build support for housing in Connecticut from the ground up: introducing the Housing for All network.

Everyone in Connecticut should be able to find a safe, affordable place to live, but in reality people in every community are struggling to make ends meet.

Lasting change needs to come from communities, so we're giving local residents and groups the tools they need to organize and make change.

More than 40 groups are already part of the network. Join to access the tools and tailored support to build support for housing in your area:

✏️ education
🧱 training
🚀 leadership coaching
📣 communications support
🤝 networking
💵 mini-grants

Learn more 🔗 thehousingcollective.org/housing-for-all

The Housing for All network is a program of the Housing Collective together with the Connecticut For All Justice Fund and our many partners in regions across the state.

05/23/2026

“A lot happened on housing last session. There were a few things that could have also still happened this session, but it wasn't surprising that those pieces didn't move forward. I think some of the low hanging fruit could have and should have,” Melissa Kaplan-Macey, Chief Initiative Officer of our Centers for Housing Opportunity, recently shared her reflections with CT Public about how housing policy fared in the recent legislative session.

Housing advocates and developers are now sharing what they believe should’ve been done to advance housing construction and protections.

05/20/2026

Last week, our Lorrie Jean-Charles was honored at the CT Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV) 15th Annual Breakfast Awards Ceremony for her dedication to collaborating with providers to support housing solutions for families and individuals in need.

CCADV's Annual Breakfast celebrates change-makers across Connecticut who show incredible dedication in improving the lives of domestic violence survivors and their children.

Lorrie’s commitment to collaborative solutions is vital to our collective work in solving homelessness. Congratulations, Lorrie, and thank you for the care and intention you bring to the community!

05/19/2026

Congratulations to Jessica Kubicki, our Chief Initiative Officer for the Opening Doors Initiative, for being selected to receive the Carol E. Walter Think, Be, Lead Change Award from CT Coalition to End Homelessness at their Annual Training Institute!

The Carol E. Walter Think, Be, Lead, Change award honors an individual for their leadership and impact in advancing solutions to solve homelessness.

We’re incredibly proud to celebrate Jessica, and our 150+ partner agencies that make up the Western CT homelessness response system, for an incredible collaborative commitment to driving systems change.

05/13/2026

Join our upcoming virtual "brown bag lunch" Fairfield County Talks Housing discussion exploring the intersection of housing and healthcare!

During this webinar, a panel of experts will explore how access to safe, affordable housing directly connects to health and well-being, for individuals and the community as a whole.

📆 Thursday, May 21
⌚️12 PM – 1 PM
🔗 Register: bit.ly/FCTHousingAndHealth

MODERATOR
🎙 Evonne Klein, Former CT Commissioner of Housing

SPEAKERS
🎙 Cristin McCarthy Vahey, Chair of the Public Health Committee, Connecticut General Assembly
🎙 Dr. Danya Keene, Associate Professor of Social Behavioral Sciences at the Yale School of Public Health
🎙 Vincent Tufo, Chief Executive Officer of Charter Oak Communities

05/09/2026

Don't miss our next Opening Doors event! This one will explore complex cases where medical conditions, mental health challenges, and substance use intersect to drive housing instability.

SPEAKERS
🎙️ Charmaine Wint, LCSW, Behavioral Health Clinical Director, CT Mental Health & Addiction Services, Southwest CT Mental Health System

🎙️ Karen Page, LCSW, CCM, Clinical Social Worker, Nuvance Health - Ambulatory Care Management

🎙️ Liz Evans, Senior Director of Community Outreach and Homeless Services, Liberation Programs, Inc.

🎙️ Michael Culmo, Chief Program Officer, Mental Health Connecticut

This event is part of our ongoing "Opening Doors To..." event series; designed to support staff in the homeless response system, each event focuses on the intersection of homelessness response and related issues, like employment, recovery, and immigration.

🗓️ Fri, May 15 ⏰ 10 AM – 12 PM
📍 Greens Farms Church, Westport