"This is a problem that people my age face all across the state. "

No, not all over the state. While affordable housing is an issue in this state, it is not an issue all over the state. Norwalk is an incredibly desirable town for many reasons and all of those reasons should go into deciding whether or not you want to live there. Life is about priorities and tough decisions.

Sounds like your problem is that you cannot afford a home where you prefer to live. Not that you cannot afford a home.

Speaking of bicycles, I cant afford a home on the beach -where I would PREFER to live. That does not mean that I cannot afford to buy a home.

HHB, You bring up some very important issues which I would love to see developed into a well thought out and presented discussion about the issues of affordable housing in Connecticut.

Last summer a house went on the market in Greenwich for $54 million. I doubt that is affordable for anyone reading this blog, no matter how much they would like such a house. (I am sure there is plenty of room to bicycle around the grounds there!)

Yet it seems as if the issue of affordable housing is more complicated than that. It ties into issues of transportation and employment.

As an example if increases in housing prices outpace increases in income, workers will need to travel further to get from a house they can afford to their workplace. This increases traffic congestion.

Or, people end up just moving out of the area all together, decreasing the labor pool, which may help drive up workers personal income but also puts a strain on employers and can lead to employers leaving the state.

I believe these are important issues. As noted in Mike's post only Alaska has more young people moving out of the state than Connecticut does. Is this good for the State?

I most admit, affordable housing is not an area of expertise of mine and I don't have as much information as I would like. Do people reading this blog have more specific information about the affordability of housing in Connecticut and what that is doing to our economy?

AH-
Your point linking housing and transportation are well taken. As is the issue of employment.
I do not know from where Mike's stats about young people emigrating. And, honestly, not knowing the context or other issues surrounding the stat (or any other random stat posted anywhere) I cannot take it at face value.

So, therefore, I will comment more generally. First off, CT's affordable housing laws are currently nonsensical and cause towns and communities to spend enormous amounts of money fighting against some ill-conceived, so-called affordable housing. They otherwise makes enemies of friends and oftentimes run right over local control. These laws must be fixed.

Now, discussing Mike, in particular, he must realize that, like all markets, real estate is cyclical. Currently, the prices in CT are extremely high and it is certainly not a good time (subject to debate) for anyone to be buying a starter home.

But dealing with the huge spectrum of housing prices in CT will take a lot of effort on a bunch of totally tough fronts.

But speaking of bicycles, bro...the main way to solve this problem (any many other wicked big problems) is simple...property tax reform.

Boooyah!

Hey Mike, this is some sobering news. I can't believe that the property tax issue doesn't have a larger role in Connecticut's political discourse. When I first heard the Mayor talk about the burden of our property taxes and the Alaska statistic, I was totally blown away. I mean, Alaska has scary winter weather and lonely towns to scare their kids away. What do we have? PROPERTY TAXES! So our property taxes are as scary as Alaska's weather? This phenomenon is surely a sign of failed leadership.