Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont vetoed a bill this week that some state lawmakers said was crafted after months of negotiation and designed to encourage more housing development.
Lamont reluctantly vetoed the bill in part because of pushback he has heard from city-level lawmakers across the state. In its current form, the bill would have added new statewide rules regarding transit-oriented development, parking, and affordable housing structures. Most notably, it would have allowed real estate developers to construct townhouses and apartment buildings on land zoned for businesses.
State Republicans have criticized the bill for months, arguing that a statewide rule on building on commercial land would strip zoning law powers away from cities and towns.
The bill also would have set targets for the number of affordable housing units each town needed to build, a measure Lamont said needed refinement.
The governor said during a press conference this week that losing local control played a partial role in his veto.
"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," Lamont said. "I just don't think it works if it's us against them."
The bill now heads back to Connecticut's House and Senate, where Lamont said he would like to work with state lawmakers to amend the bill and perhaps sign a new version in September.
The amended version should have buy-in from municipalities, Lamont said.
"I'm not happy with the local red tape, but I want the towns to take the lead," the governor said during the press conference. "Tell me what you want your town to look like in 10 years and put in place plans to make it happen."
State faces housing crunch as more seek suburban lifestyle
Lamont's veto comes as the Constitution State is battling a housing crunch. Connecticut has a 100,000-to-150,000-unit housing shortage that stems from "a pattern of chronic underproduction spanning decades," according to a May study from the Connecticut Business & Industry Association.
Connecticut, particularly the western part of the state, is home to many commuters who work in New York City but want a suburban lifestyle. The state's population has risen steadily in recent years, but developers have not built enough homes to keep up — thus fueling demand and pushing prices up.
Lamont's veto happened Monday, but lawmakers and civic leaders have reacted to the move all week.
The Open Communities Alliance, a local civil rights organization, called Lamont's veto "a poor leadership decision" in a statement Wednesday. Connecticut Democrats said they were disappointed with the governor's move, arguing that other states — including California, Florida, Montana, and Texas — have passed similar legislation that has helped their housing markets.
Democrats said they're ready to negotiate changes to the bill.
Meanwhile, the Connecticut Council of Small Towns, which represents 115 communities, and the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities applauded the veto, saying local governments must have a say in shaping housing solutions.
State Republicans also praised Lamont's move.
“Governor Lamont made the right call," Sen. Jeff Gordon said in a statement. "I appreciate that he took the time to review this bill carefully and ultimately recognized what so many of us have been saying all along: H.B. 5002 crossed the line."