New York Non-Profit Behind Connecticut-Based DesegregateCT

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As Connecticut gets out of the gate with bad legislation, Transit Oriented Development was the early mover.

One of the strongest advocates for the Transit Oriented Development movement is DesegregateCT.

According to their website, “DesegregateCT is a program of Regional Plan Association (“RPA”), a non-profit that for 100 years has advanced ideas to improve economic health, environmental resiliency, and quality of life in the NJ-NY-CT region, and that has a century-long record of public engagement and service in Connecticut.”

What Does New York Have To Do With Connecticut?

RPA is a NYC-based non-profit with most of its board members based in New York City, New Jersey and to a lesser extent Connecticut. Many board members are involved in various aspects of the real estate industry. RPA is located at One Whitehall Street, 16th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10004. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

According to its 2022 IRS filing, RPA had a total revenue of $6,265,077 of which $3,861,665 was spent on salaries. The organization had net assets $5,918,125. In 2022, RPA allocated $286,384 to DesegregateCT. The team is listed here.

On line 4c of Form 990, RPA states the following:

“DESEGREGATE CONNECTICUT – FOUNDED IN 2020, DESEGREGATECT HAS BEEN A PROGRAM OF RPA SINCE FEBRUARY 2022 AND IS DEDICATED TO ENACTING LAND USE REFORM AT THE LOCAL AND STATE LEVEL IN CONNECICUT TO ENCOURAGE ECONOMIC GROWTH, RACIAL EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY. IT OPERATES AS A COALITION OF NEARLY 80 NONPROFIT AND NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS AND PROVIDES ORIGINAL RESEARCH EDUCATION, OUTREACH AND ADVOCACY TO PASS LOCAL AND STATE LEGISLATION TO ENCOURAGE MORE DIVERSITY OF HOUSING OPTIONS, PARTICULARLY NEAR TRANSIT HUBS. IT IS SUPPORTED BY OPEN PHILANTHROPY AND SEVERAL LOCALLY BASED COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS INCLUDING THE HARTFORD FOUNDATION FOR PUBLIC GIVING.” (In the most recent 990 for the Hartford Foundation, it donated $25,000 to RPA)

According to the 2024 Annual Report of DesegregateCT (which does not mention whether or not it is a non-profit, nor its connection to RPA), total expenses are $294,555 and revenue is $212,788. The report does not mention any connection with RPA, nor any financial contribution from RPA to the budget. Interestingly, the RPA 2022 contribution exceeded all reported income for 2024.

DesegregateCT clearly engages in lobbying for legislation.

According to the Greenwich Free Press in an article entitled “5 Time’s a Charm for Work Live Ride? Hearing on HB 6831 Set for Monday” - WORK LIVE RIDE IS BACK.

The article goes on to state “The bill, HB 6831, proposes to create affordable housing near public transportation hubs in Connecticut, including, for example, train stations and ferry terminals. This will be the fifth time that Desegregate CT has put forth their transit-oriented development bill.”

For more info on what WORK LIVE RIDE IS REALLY ABOUT, read our February 2nd post on Substack: Make Your Voices Heard - Protect Local Zoning.

Non-Profits can lose or should not have tax-exempt status due to political lobbying.

According to the IRS,

• “In general, no organization may qualify for section 501(c)(3) status if a substantial part of its activities is attempting to influence legislation (commonly known as lobbying). A 501(c)(3) organization may engage in some lobbying, but too much lobbying activity risks loss of tax-exempt status”.
• “An organization will be regarded as attempting to influence legislation if it contacts, or urges the public to contact, members or employees of a legislative body for the purpose of proposing, supporting, or opposing legislation, or if the organization advocates the adoption or rejection of legislation”.
• “Organizations may, however, involve themselves in issues of public policy without the activity being considered as lobbying.  For example, organizations may conduct educational meetings, prepare and distribute educational materials, or otherwise consider public policy issues in an educational manner without jeopardizing their tax-exempt status.”
  
  DesegregateCT looks to be doing more lobbying than engaging in this educational carve out.

When you put it all together, DesegregateCT is not an independent entity and does not file its own 990 tax returns. Desegregate CT is a program of a larger organization (RPA), a New York City based 501(c)(3) charity (non-profit) whose program DesegrateCT is, according to the Greenwich Free Press, proposing and advocating for legislation in Connecticut.

This appears to be a violation of the IRS rules for nonprofits.

WHAT SHOULD BE DONE?

We need to shed light on what DesegregateCT really is and who is behind it. It would be appropriate for the IRS to investigate the activities of DesegregateCT to determine if its lobbying efforts are in violation of the laws governing 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporations.

WHAT DOES NEW YORK HAVE TO DO WITH CONNECTICUT?

The better question is: why is a NYC-based public charity, through the guise of a specially-created program called “DesegregateCT”, heavily engaging in lobbying the Connecticut Legislature to change its laws regarding real estate development near transit stations in Connecticut? There is a saying in Latin -Cui bono? - in English "to whom is it a benefit?"

We are also entitled to know if there are board members of RPA who would profit if HB 6831 were to pass. We also need to know what developers, contractors, vendors, etc., would benefit from these windfalls.

The public and the legislature need to know the answers to these questions. This is the real transparency that we must demand.

For other info about housing issues in Connecticut and the preservation of local zoning, please visit CT169 Strong here.

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