The state House of Representatives on Tuesday narrowly passed an affordable housing bill introduced by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy that would bar two dozen municipalities from banning multi-family housing.
Lawmakers approved by a vote of 76-72 House Bill 5045, which requires zoning regulations to provide several types of housing developments and eliminates mandates requiring regulations to consider the “character” of an area.
Just 20 of Connecticut’s municipalities allow multi-family housing, defined as three-family dwellings or more, and the remaining areas require a special permit. Meanwhile, two dozen municipalities have banned multi-family units.
Prior to the vote, lawmakers eliminated part of the bill that allowed the state to impose financial penalties for municipalities violating the new requirements, including loss of state aid.
The legislation now moves to the Senate. If it passes, the bill still would require the governor’s signature to become law.
Malloy urged the Senate to approve the bill to advance Connecticut’s development of affordable housing.
“Access to fair and affordable housing is good for families, communities, and for businesses,” Malloy said. “While it is unfortunate that it was amended to remove some enforcement mechanisms, this bill remains a step in the right direction.”
Advocates submitting testimony on the bill argued the legislation will reduce the racial, ethnic and economic segregation of Connecticut’s most vulnerable populations, while opponents said the legislation lacks safeguards for municipalities that are deemed non-compliant.
