Democrats swept the elections in Connecticut Tuesday and the state’s housing crisis was top of mind for voters and candidates alike leading up to, and after, the election.
With Democrats in various levels of government winning handily, Gov. Ned Lamont is set to take on a historic third term as only the second Connecticut governor to be elected to three consecutive terms.
It’s become more expensive to construct housing over the last year, but it’s not a reason to slow efforts, Lamont said.
“The price of timber has gone up, the price of steel has gone up, the interest rates are going up. But I do believe you make hay while the sun shines,” Lamont said. “Right now, demand for housing is strong. People want to be in Connecticut.”
Lamont said he’s more in favor of converting existing buildings into housing than constructing new, towering buildings, especially in more densely populated areas like Fairfield County.
Lamont wants to continue adding more housing statewide, with a focus on finding new uses for existing, vacant spaces. Lamont said the omnibus housing bill approved by the state legislature during a special session last year will help guide construction.
“The bill we finally came through was turning office buildings and old mills and shopping centers that already have sewer and water and parking and already had a lot of that infrastructure,” Lamont said. “That's what we're trying to turn into housing, and we're doing that with some success right now.”
During the campaign, Lamont touted his work in decreasing the time it takes to build new housing across the state and near public transit hubs.
Continuing to address housing affordability and expanding the state’s homelessness response system, were two of Lamont’s legislative priorities.
Several newly elected, and re-elected, lawmakers mentioned the importance of housing in their acceptance speeches, including Attorney General William Tong, who touted his efforts to make apartments more affordable and safe.
“I have taken on the price of eggs, the cost of apartments and housing, the price of prescription drugs, and we must continue to use our sovereign power in court to stop the monopolies and cartels from driving up prices,” Tong said after his victory.
State Comptroller Sean Scanlon also highlighted his housing-related work in celebrating his win.
“It's time to finally do the things that we have long wanted to do to make this state a better place: universal health care for everybody in our state, fully funding our schools and lowering our property taxes, building more housing, creating more jobs, and making sure everybody in every single city and town has access to the opportunities that are going to make them succeed in life,” Scanlon said.
