We'd like to introduce you to three freelance writers who will be covering town news for the next few months while Staff Writers Elizabeth Regan and Johana Vazquez delve into our investigation of the region's housing scene.

You'll be seeing bylines from Jodi Alberti, Carrie Czerwinski and Armi Sevilla Rowe, with the designation, "Special to The Day," on stories on theday.com and in our print editions. You might see them at town events or receive a phone call or email from them requesting an interview.

Alberti will be writing stories about Lyme and Old Lyme; Czerwinski will be assigned to Montville and Waterford, and Rowe is covering East Lyme. They may also be writing occasional stories outside the towns.

On Sunday, we'll publish Rowe's first story, which is about local congregations that have become adept at offering hybrid services during the coronavirus pandemic. She pitched it to us when she interviewed for the freelance gig and we liked her idea. Rowe has a master's degree in science writing from Johns Hopkins University. She wrote for our Times weekly community publications from 2005 to 2007 and has worked as a writer, editor and communications strategist.

Alberti has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Connecticut, along with a master's degree in educational psychology. She has worked as a school library media specialist, tutor, bar manager and bartender, and told us she wants to try out town reporting. We published her first story, about trees in Old Lyme slated for removal, on March 25.

Czerwinski has a master's degree in English from Southern Connecticut State University. She was a freelance reporter for the New Haven Advocate, and since 2010 has been self-employed as an editor and tutor while raising her children. Czerwinski asked a lot of great questions during the interview process — a good sign with a prospective reporter — and filed her first story, about two major housing development proposals in Montville, on March 23.

Regan, who covers East Lyme, Lyme and Old Lyme, and Vazquez, who is assigned to Montville and Waterford, have been introducing the new freelancers to officials in the towns and bringing them up to date on news stories they will need to cover. If you have news from those towns, or any southeastern Connecticut towns, please send them to tips@theday.com.

As of Monday, Regan and Vazquez will be assigned to the Housing Solutions Lab, which is the newsroom's first-ever community and philanthropy-funded in-depth investigation. Photographer Sarah Gordon is also assigned to the project. We expect to begin publishing content this summer.

The timing for our project is excellent, since every town is working on an affordable housing plan as required by the state. The demand for all types of housing, but especially multi-bedroom rentals, exceeds the supply in our region. Many communities have proposed developments in the works. Have you been watching the demolition of the Thames River Apartments (Crystal Avenue high-rises) in New London? We have, and will be using the Crystal Avenue story as a jumping-off point for some of our reporting.

New London Mayor Michael Passero and Human Services Director Jeanne Milstein came to The Day recently to bring us up to date on the housing scene in New London, and in the coming weeks, we'll be scheduling listening sessions at public places, and perhaps online, as we look for people to tell us about their housing experiences.

We are still seeking funding for the Housing Solutions Lab from the community and have applied for grants from several foundations. If you'd like to donate to the project, go to givebutter.com/thedayhousing. If you'd like to participate in a listening session or share your story ideas, send me an email with "Housing Solutions Lab" in the subject line.

Karen Florin is The Day's engagement editor. She can be reached at k.florin@theday.com or (860) 701-4217.