Thank you to the 100+ people who have signed and stood with the BMR tenants at 1201 Washington Boulevard.
You may have seen the term “BMR”—but what does it really mean?
BMR stands for Below Market Rate. These are Stamford’s affordable housing units, set aside for individuals and families who meet specific income qualifications. In a city where rent continues to rise, these homes are lifelines for working people, retirees, single parents, and others living on fixed or limited incomes. They are legally restricted to remain affordable for the life of the building.
At 1201 Washington Blvd, there are 9 BMR units. All are currently occupied by long-term residents—many of whom have lived in the building since it opened in 2011. But now, because of a private agreement between building ownership (RMS Companies/The Wolff Company) and UConn, the entire property is being converted into student housing.
No transition plan. No clear protections. No public oversight.
Our petition is focused on protecting these 9 households. Not with handouts, but with basic fairness and the stability the BMR program promised. We are asking the City of Stamford to:
Freeze BMR eligibility rules during the transition
Ensure residents receive positive landlord references so they can secure future housing—at minimum
Allow residents to remain housed until new units are available at the future 74 Broad Street development
Include residents in shaping their relocation options—not just inform them after decisions are made
These are reasonable requests. Yet instead, tenants are being met with silence, shifting standards, and retaliation. The very people who claimed to support affordable housing are now moving the goalposts—or disappearing altogether.
This isn’t about preferences. It’s about keeping promises.
Stamford promised their constituents affordable housing but didn’t not codify any protection for their most vulnerable.
Seniors and school-aged children risk homelessness if they do not act.
If BMR tenants can be quietly displaced without a plan, then “affordable housing” is just a slogan.
Want to take action?
Please keep sharing.
The fight for affordability starts with protecting the people who are already in these homes.
Share the petition demanding stronger protections for BMR tenants and transparency around UConn’s expansion plans: https://www.change.org/protectTheBlvd
Show up for your community:
May 5, 2025 8:00p hybrid – Stamford Board of Representatives Regular Meeting
This meeting will be held in the Government Center Legislative Chambers, 4th Floor, 888 Washington Blvd., Stamford, CT and remotely and can be accessed by computer, tablet or smartphone https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81470541826or at http://www.zoom.com – Webinar ID: 814 7054 1826
or by telephone at 1-646-558-8656 Webinar ID: 814 7054 1826
May 5, 2025 6:30p virtual – Stamford Zoning Board Meeting
Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ATMVR9zcTcm0Npo-nLFwUQ
You can also dial in using your phone:
US: +16465588656,,87836741688# or +16469313860,,87836741688#
This isn’t just about one neighborhood. It’s about what kind of city we’re building—and who we are building it for.
—The BMR Residents of The Blvd