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Yesterday, Governor Ned Lamont vetoed the controversial omnibus bill HB5002. This is a major win for local control and Lamont even expressed concern over local control and that the bill had too much power to encourage the development of affordable housing.
We would like to thank CT169 Strong for their efforts in mobilizing more than 10,000 quick petitions to Lamont’s office from 166 of the 169 municipalities in Connecticut. It is because of citizens getting vocal and pressure from municipalities (representing their constituents) and other advocacy groups that Lamont’s office was flooded with pressure.
In vetoing this bill, Lamont stated: "I think for housing to continue growing successfully, it has to be led by our towns, it has to be led by our first selectmen, it has to be led by our mayors," To that end, he did note that the towns should take that lead in determining the appropriate number of housing units rather than a Hartford mandate, which was the basis of HB5002 that was passed at 2 AM on a Saturday morning.
This bill was rife with issues and did not have sufficient local buy-in. Some other issues included no responsibility for developers to put in off-street parking and conversions as-of-right and “transit-oriented development”
Lamont expressed a desire to have a special session to amend this bill in September.
In addition, Lamont also vetoed legislation that provided unemployment insurance to to workers on strike.
This is an example that your voice does matter and we will all continue to push to bring these issues to you so we need you to spread this message. It is still amazing how so many Nutmeggers were not aware of this issue. So you must go out and tell your neighbors and get active.
CT169Strong, composed of residents from across Connecticut including local leaders and citizen zoning and land-use volunteers, is thankful and gratified that Governor Ned Lamont has vetoed HB-5002 today.
The 92-page omnibus bill was an ill-conceived attempt to usurp local control on zoning matters, stifle public input and to instill unworkable provisions which would have eliminated any parking requirements for certain developments, created “as of right” approval for conversions of any commercial to residential, imposed rezoning for high density near transit or risk the defunding of critical infrastructure funds, and created affordable housing quotas on towns and cities that were arbitrary and capricious as well as unworkable. Good intentions are no excuse for poor policy.
Over the past several weeks, the Governor has heard from thousands of Connecticut residents from almost every town in the State as well as the bipartisan voices of locally elected mayors and first selectmen, land use and other officials. These voices stood up after fully digesting and understanding the provisions and ramifications of HB-5002, which was passed within less than a week of sharing the full bill language publicly. These voices were of informed residents and elected officials.
This was not a “rage machine” as was slandered by certain legislative and statewide leaders. There was no misinformation. These elected legislative leaders would have preferred that this bill quietly pass into law, having been cooked up over the long Memorial Day holiday weekend and foisted on senators and representatives with no time for adequate review, and no input from those other than a select group of lobbyists. We need partners with the State -- and elected leaders, mayors and First Selectman and those opposing HB5002 are not bad actors. This false narrative must end.
Connecticut can and should do better and we all want the State to thrive and grow. We encourage state leadership to work in concert with a diverse representation of local elected leaders and local land use experts from Connecticut's 169 municipalities to foster a sense of partnership in creating a rational, sustainable and workable housing policy for the state. Now the true hard work begins. Connecticut's residents are wide awake and watching.
Alexis Harrison & Maria Weingarten
Co-Founders, CT169Strong.org
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