CMDA, formerly called the Municipal Redevelopment Authority, was established in 2019 as an unfunded entity; Last year, it officially received funding and launched operations. Local officials say they hope this will encourage people to walk to the train station and to some of the borough’s nearby shops. Kooris said he’s gotten questions about whether the authority would decide on projects without the town’s input. Under the original statute, towns in the Hartford area that were a part of the Capitol Region Development Authority weren’t eligible to join CMDA. For example, Bridgeport could include its land close to the Fairfield-Black Rock train station in a transit zone, even if Fairfield hadn’t opted to join CMDA.