Trying to find a home you can actually afford? If so, you already know that Connecticut has a severe housing shortage.

This week, experts are offering solutions at the Connecticut Affordable Housing Conference.

They said a sweeping new housing law passed last week is a good start, but it won’t solve the problem alone.

If you don’t think Connecticut has housing crisis, just look at these numbers.

In Fairfield County, the average single-family home costs $739,061, according to Zillow Research. That’s 130% higher than the year 2000, when the average home price was $320,750.

Renters are feeling it, too.

For a two-bedroom apartment, the median rent is $2,628 in the Stamford-Norwalk area and $2,237 in the Danbury region, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Bridgeport area is a relative bargain at $1,967 per month.

That's why housing experts, advocates, state lawmakers and developers are all brainstorming at the Connecticut Affordable Housing Conference on Monday and Tuesday.

“Our goal isn’t just to document the problem; it’s to chart a path forward,” said Chelsea Ross, executive director of the Partnership for Strong Communities, which is holding the annual conference.

Experts said the biggest problem is simple. Connecticut doesn’t have enough housing – especially multifamily units.

“We need more units, period,” said Connecticut House Majority Leader Jason Rojas (D-East Hartford).

Again, the numbers tell the story.

Last year, Connecticut issued 6,840 housing permits, according to data from the state Department of Community and Economic Development. That’s 18% less than the year before – and 42% lower than 2006, just before the housing bubble burst.

To encourage more building, Connecticut just passed the biggest housing law in a generation. It loosens parking requirements and makes it easier to convert commercial and state-owned buildings, among many other sweeping changes.

Critics called it a giveaway to big developers.

“This bill does nothing to make housing more affordable,” said Connecticut House GOP leader Vin Candelora (R-North Branford). “What it will do is bring private equity into the state of Connecticut. We’re seeing it with the WWE building in Stamford being converted to housing.”

But some town planners told the panel they can usually compromise on multifamily developments. Incentives can help, they said.

“When you’re not having that conversation, that’s when you’re getting your block building with whatever many units in there, because ‘I have to have so many affordable units and there’s no leeway here,” said Chris Soto, Hamden’s assistant town planner.

Developers said that most affordable housing projects are small, modern units that blend in with the neighborhood.

“We have basically three major areas to overcome about misperceptions about affordable housing,” said Dara Kovel, CEO of Boston-based Beacon Communities. “One is design, two is who lives there and three is sort of the long-term impact.”

Gov. Ned Lamont hasn’t even signed the new housing bill yet, but some lawmakers already want to go further.

“There’s so many things that we’ve been working on for the last couple of years,” said state Rep. Antonio Felipe (D-Bridgeport).

In particular, Felipe said renters need more protection. Next year, Democrats plan to reintroduce a ban on evictions without “Just Cause” – a bill that has failed for the past several years after landlords warned it could lead to fewer units on the market.

A “just cause” law could stop predatory private equity firms from flipping affordable housing complexes and forcing residents out, according to the state Senate’s Housing Committee chair.

“This isn’t going to be the end of it for this private equity coming and buying up our apartments,” said state Sen. Martha Marx (D-New London).

Another controversial idea? Allowing churches and nonprofits to build “tiny shelters” for those with no homes.

“They are not a permanent solution to homelessness,” said state Rep. Eleni Kavros DeGraw (D-Avon), co-chair of the Legislature’s Planning and Development Committee. “We really need to make sure that we are increasing the ability for people to have that transitional housing.”

Housing advocates said homelessness is the direct result of restrictive zoning laws.

“If you don't want housing in your backyard, you’re going to have homelessness in your front yard,” said Marisol Bello with the Housing Narrative Lab.