Gov. Ned Lamont announced he will veto a controversial housing bill at a press conference on Monday, June 23. The housing bill, HB 5002, contains several controversial provisions. Chief among them is the “Fair Share” housing mandate, which would require towns and cities to build a set amount of housing units every five years. This number would have been determined by outside consultants.
Lamont believes that public trust in the bill was killed by online “misinformation.” He said that towns would have had the opportunity to appeal the decision made by the Fair Share group, which would allow them to maintain control. However, he conceded that there were other improvements that could be made to the bill.
“We are deeply disappointed that Governor Lamont has chosen to veto the most comprehensive effort to tackle Connecticut’s urgent housing crisis. Connecticut cannot create jobs, lower costs, and attract businesses without building more housing,” Senate President Martin Looney (D-New Haven) and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) said in a press statement. “At our State Capitol, undue weight is placed on the opinions of some municipal officials who do not think beyond the borders of their own communities, rather than on the needs of families seeking housing.”
Lamont floated the idea of towns approaching the state with an appropriate number of affordable housing units, as opposed to the other way around. Then the state would provide support in building new units.
“The only way to really make it work is if you have buy-in from the local communities,” Lamont said. He went on to say, “If they refuse to take the lead, then maybe the Fair Share group can come up with some numbers to inspire them.”
Across the state, there has been a “lumpy,” or inconsistent, increase in housing, according to Lamont. New Haven, New London, Newtown and Wilton have all increased the number of building permits each town has issued by at least 100% in the last few years.
“The vast majority of towns are adding on units, at their pace, where they want them to go, and I salute them for it,” Lamont said.
Many of these small towns are celebrating the veto. The Connecticut Council of Small Towns (COST) “applauded” this decision in a press statement that was sent out after Lamont’s conference.
“Governor Lamont reached out to COST to discuss concerns with the bill, which we greatly appreciate,” COST Executive Director Betsy Gara said in the statement. “The Governor clearly recognizes that a more collaborative process is needed to ensure that the state and municipalities can work together to address the state’s pressing housing needs.”
However, some people have expressed doubts about the legislative process going forward.
“The Governor made the logical call by vetoing H.B. 5002, though he has offered little vision for a path forward,” said House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora (North Branford, Durham) in a press statement. “Trying to make housing more affordable in Connecticut without confronting the broader policies that drive up the cost of living here is a flawed strategy. Equally problematic is the push for top-down mandates without meaningful collaboration from the local leaders expected to implement them.”
At the same press conference, Lamont also announced that he will veto SB8, which would have given workers from all business sectors state unemployment benefits if they were on a strike. He said that manufacturing jobs are finally growing in Connecticut, and this bill sends the wrong message to businesses.
“We are disheartened that Governor Lamont has vetoed Senate Bill 8, which would have extended unemployment insurance protections to striking workers,” Looney and Duff said in a separate press release. “Connecticut faces a Trump administration rolling back worker protections, a National Labor Relations Board that is in the back pocket of big business, and an unprecedented consolidation of corporate power. Now, more than ever, states must stand up for workers’ rights… We remain willing to compromise with the Governor to achieve consensus on an appropriate model for Connecticut.”
Lamont wants to see different versions of both bills at the end of a 90-day special session, he said.
“A veto doesn’t mean dead stop, a veto means to me we can do a lot better and I hope to do that with both of these bills,” Lamont said.
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