The sweeping omnibus housing bill remains in limbo. Gov. Ned Lamont said he wants assurances from lawmakers that they will make certain changes to the bill before he considers signing it.
One change Lamont would like lawmakers to consider is to ensure towns and cities can take the lead on where they’d like new housing developments to be constructed in their communities.
“We know how imperative it is we get more housing in the state. It's driving up costs and it's driving away economic growth,” Lamont said. “I think they went too far in some areas of the bill, and that's what we look to change.”
Lamont previously said he wishes he had been more involved in the writing process and considered some portions of the legislation to be “red flags.”
The governor and his team are working with state lawmakers to determine which changes could be agreed upon.
“This is a bill that addresses a really real issue, and I wish those who oppose it had some constructive ideas,” Lamont said. “We're desperately short of housing that impacts affordability, impacts economic growth. This bill goes a long way to solving that. I think they went over the top in a couple of places.”
The bill asks municipalities to work toward an affordable housing goal for their community, as part of the state’s affordable housing mandate. It requires communities to adopt an affordable housing plan every five years.
One of the most contested elements of the bill is the “Fair Share Planning and Zoning“ proposal. It urges towns and cities Connecticut municipalities to contribute their “fair share” of the affordable housing stock.
Opponents of the bill say it takes too much zoning and development control away from towns and cities.
The Connecticut Council of Small Towns is against the bill. The organization started a petition, asking Lamont to veto the legislation.
Other opponents of the bill say it would cause confusion, undermine local zoning code and put a burden of affordable housing creation on smaller municipalities.
Proponents say its goal is to increase housing construction, particularly affordable options.
