Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont vetoed a contentious housing bill that would have imposed affordable housing target numbers on the state’s localities.
According to combined media outlets, HB 5002 would have required localities to meet a baseline for the number of housing units, including a “fair share” quota of affordable units. The localities that met those goals would have received priority treatment in the allocation of state grants.
The bill also sought to eliminate parking requirements for smaller apartment complexes, remove the need to have some conversions of commercial buildings into residential properties approved by planning and zoning boards, and ban “hostile infrastructure” rules designed to keep homeless people out of public places.
While HB 5002 passed through the Democrat-controlled legislature, a number of Democratic lawmakers joined their Republican colleagues in opposing the bill, which also generated unhappiness among many municipal leaders. The governor complained that while some localities were creating roadblocks to enable new housing construction, he felt state mandates was the wrong solution.
“I’m not happy with the local red tape, but I want the towns to take the lead,” he said during a press conference from this morning. “Tell me what you want your town to look like in 10 years and put in place plans to make it happen.”
Lamont added he wanted to revisit the issue during a special legislative session, possibly to be held in September.
Photo: Rabbitti / iStock
