Senators Hwang, Boucher and Rep. Kupchick Announce Public Hearing on State’s Affordable Housing Statute 8-30g

State Senators Tony Hwang (R-28) and Toni Boucher (R-26) and state Rep. Brenda Kupchick (R-132) are pleased to announce that the General Assembly’s Housing Committee has agreed to hold a public hearing in New Haven on the state’s affordable housing statute (8-30g).

Many proposals related to 8-30g have been submitted this year from lawmakers across the state to the Housing Committee. Those proposals will be heard at the public hearing beginning at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 5, at the Board of Alders Chambers in New Haven, located on the second floor, at 165 Church St.

While the 1990 law has positive intentions, 8-30g has been used by developers to bypass local zoning laws and, in the process, created serious concerns for neighborhoods in Fairfield, Westport and cities and towns throughout Connecticut.

“For too long this statute has been used as a weapon that is destroying the character of our neighborhoods and undermining local zoning regulations,” said Senator Hwang, who is the ranking Senate Republican member on the Housing Committee. “I encourage all interested parties to attend the hearing and have your voice heard.”

Senator Boucher noted, “Connecticut is a small, densely populated state with some of the most breathtakingly beautiful natural landscapes in the country. The colonial character of its cities and towns attracts resident and tourists alike and provides a quality of life that remains one of Connecticut’s main competitive advantages.

“Unfortunately,” she added, “the power under 8-30g to force large, overly dense developments in inappropriate locations has impacted many communities negatively. It is now time to come to a bipartisan agreement to provide for more local oversight as to the number, placement, type and size of 8-30g developments.”

Senator Hwang said, “If we are to enact meaningful and necessary changes to this important state statute we must incorporate all voices and perspectives into the conversation, to arrive at a solution that provides municipalities much-needed control and flexibility while also achieving the goal of increasing our stock of affordable housing.”

Rep. Kupchick, the ranking House Republican on the Housing Committee, has been championing a fix since she was first elected in 2011.

“I strongly encourage all residents and homeowners concerned about this issue to save the date and come join us for this critical discussion,” Rep. Kupchick said.

Testifying and Submitting Written Testimony

A message from the Clerk of the Housing Committee:

Sign-up for the hearing will begin 5 p.m. in the Aldermanic Chambers. Please submit 35 copies of written testimony to Committee staff by 6 p.m. at 165 Church St. Second Floor, New Haven, CT 06511. Testimony received after the designated time may not be distributed until after the hearing.

Please email written testimony in Word or PDF format to [email protected]. Testimony should clearly state testifier name and related Bills.

The Committee requests that testimony be limited to matters related to the items on the agenda. The first hour of the hearing is reserved for Legislators, Constitutional Officers, State Agency Heads and Chief Elected Municipal Officials.

Speakers will be limited to 3 minutes of testimony. The Committee encourages witnesses to submit a written statement and to condense oral testimony to a summary of that statement. Unofficial sign-up sheets have no standing with the Committee. All public hearing testimony, written and spoken, is public information. As such, it will be made available on the CGA website and indexed by internet search engines.