New Housing Bill Announced By Gov. Lamont, Local Leaders: Here's What The Bill Does

CONNECTICUT — Standing in a parking lot on Pitkin Street that he said could soon be redeveloped into housing, Gov. Ned Lamont on Friday announced a compromise “housing growth” bill aimed at boosting affordable and workforce housing while responding to concerns that led him to veto earlier legislation this summer.

Flanked by legislative leaders, municipal officials and housing advocates, Lamont described the new proposal as a collaborative effort among state, regional and local leaders designed to expand housing without imposing state mandates on towns. The bill is expected to be taken up in a special session next week.

Lamont, who vetoed an affordable housing-related bill in July deemed "one of the most aggressive attacks on local control our state has seen" by Senate Republican Leader Stephen Harding, said the newly proposed legislation emphasizes flexibility and partnership with towns. “This housing bill is about making sure that we build housing in places where mayors want to put it.,” Lamont said. "You tell us where you want that housing, we're going to be there as your partner to make sure it gets built."

Focus on Redevelopment and Local Planning

The governor said the proposal encourages municipalities to repurpose vacant or underused commercial sites, such as old shopping centers and parking lots, for housing. It also seeks to promote transit-oriented development near rail lines and downtowns, while easing local zoning barriers such as minimum parking requirements for smaller housing projects.

Lamont said the state will help towns address infrastructure needs, such as sewer and water service, that often limit new housing construction.

"Talking to the small towns, they were worried," the governor said. "They said, 'Look, I need sewer and water before I can start building some housing in my smaller downtown areas. So we said, 'The town, the state's going to be your partner in what you need to do.'"

Legislative and Local Support

House Majority Leader Jason Rojas, D-East Hartford, credited Lamont and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, for staying at the table after months of debate. "It's what our people expect of us. They expect us to lead, they expect us to get around the table. They expect us to compromise" Rojas said.

Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz said the administration has helped complete 14,000 new affordable units since taking office, with another 7,000 under construction. But she noted the urgency: "The median age for a home buyer here in Connecticut is 40, and this is up sharply from five years ago, when the median age of a home buyer was 33," she said.

Local officials who had opposed the earlier version praised the new collaborative approach. Mary Calorio, who manages three small towns in eastern Connecticut, said Lamont’s veto “reflected true respect for local governments” and allowed time to craft a more workable plan.

Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi and Guilford First Selectman Matt Hoey — both of whom raised concerns about the original bill — said the new measure addresses issues like parking and infrastructure while preserving local flexibility.

"Lower Fairfield County, one of the wealthiest, if not the wealthiest, part of the state, has often been criticized for not doing our share, for not supplying the housing that's necessary to create a diverse community," Marconi said, noting that school children in wealthy towns especially needed to experience the world outside their "bubble."

"And I think this bill is going to provide us the tools as local officials to make that happen," Marconi said.

Advocates See Progress, Not Finality

Housing advocates, who were disappointed by Lamont’s summer veto, expressed cautious optimism. Pete Harrison, Director of Connecticut Programs at Regional Plan Association, said, "We were certainly all disappointed in the veto, but we’re really encouraged," Harrison said. "And what I'm hearing today is a bipartisan consensus that what we've been doing in Connecticut has not worked, and I'll be honest, that hasn't been something we've always heard from folks up here. So I'm really encouraged by this."

Broader Context

Lamont’s veto in July drew criticism from affordable housing proponents who argued that Connecticut’s restrictive local zoning laws perpetuate segregation and drive up costs. The governor defended his decision then by saying the measure was “too prescriptive” and failed to account for local infrastructure and planning realities.

Friday’s press conference — featuring bipartisan lawmakers, mayors, first selectmen, and regional planning officials — underscored his effort to rebuild consensus. “Collaboration” was the word used most frequently by speakers.

“This bill may not be perfect,” said Michael Freda, North Haven’s first selectman and president of the Connecticut Council of Small Towns. “But failure is not an option. We all agreed we can’t just say we can’t do this — we have to find a way.”

The housing growth bill, Lamont said, aims to do just that. "We all agreed that when you talk about affordability, you talk about opportunity, and it really starts with housing."

Housing Committee Ranking Member Rep. Tony Scott, (R-112) said Friday he was "pleased to see the 'fair share' portion of HB 5002 has been removed from this new proposal," calling them "outlandish and simply not feasible."

But he still has concerns.

"I'm concerned that there will still be a regional needs assessment because that means there will still be numbers out there, and the end result will be the same. Having more of the proposed concepts be opt-in rather than requirements is a step in the right direction. We have a shared goal of creating more housing, and more housing that people can afford, but we don't even have a definition of affordable, which is why the legislature passed a bill this year to define the kinds of units needed."