Get to know the Center for Housing Equity and Opportunity of Eastern Connecticut (CHEO) and Director Beth Sabilia! Beth and the Center believe that equitable access to housing that is safe, affordable, and connected to resources is a human right and critical infrastructure for a thriving region. Read on to learn more about what Beth and CHEO are working to achieve.
Director: Beth Sabilia
Business: Center for Housing Equity and Opportunity of Eastern Connecticut (CHEO)
Location: The Center covers 42 Towns, but our physical location is the Chelsea Groton Building at One Montauk Avenue in New London.
When was your organization founded?
CHEO formally kicked things off on March 26, 2023 at Connecticut College where we had over 100 organizations in attendance that represented more than 40 towns.
How is CHEO helping the community?
CHEO aligns a diverse coalition of practitioners, policymakers, residents, and community organizations to identify and build upon community drive and data-informed solutions that preserve, protect, and produce safe and affordable housing for all.
What do you love about the organization?
I love the ability to work collectively to positively impact the lives of residents and communities in our region.
What do you love most about the community where you do business?
As a native of Southeastern Connecticut and as a veteran in public office, I have learned that our very best resource is our residents.
What is your vision for the future of your business and/or your community?
CHEO believes that through a coalition of support of public and private resources and providers throughout the 42 towns that make up Eastern CT, the creation of a shared housing agenda for the Eastern CT region that centers low-income and BIPOC communities and is data-informed, is achievable. CHEO seeks to facilitate the strategic alignment and deployment of every available resource to build public will for the preservation of and creation of affordable housing throughout the region. By harnessing the collective power of a multiplicity of perspectives, expertise, capacity and knowledge, CHEO seeks to increase and preserve equitable access to housing that is safe, affordable, and connected to resources, and ensures that it is an integral and critical infrastructure to ensure that all in the region thrive.
For more information about CHEO go to https://cthousingopportunity.org/.
