The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Lamont touts affordable housing plan
Governor promotes $600M proposal in Bridgeport visit
BRIDGEPORT — The budget Gov. Ned Lamont recently proposed for 2024-25 includes $600 million for affordable housing programs.
On Thursday, Lamont touted that aspect of the budget proposal with a visit to Maplewood Court, a 32-unit affordable housing complex built in a pair of early 1900s school buildings and managed by the nonprofit group Connecticut Housing Partners in Bridgeport. State officials said the plan would double the amount Connecticut spends on the issue. Lamont’s goal is to create 6,400 units of affordable housing over the next two years, according to his office.
“People want to move to Hartford. People want to move to Bridgeport. People want to move to the State of Connecticut, and we want to make sure that gets done,” said Lamont, who was joined by a group that included Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim and members of Bridgeport’s state legislative delegation.
Lamont added he’s talked to business owners who have expressed interest in expanding or moving to Connecticut, but have asked whether there would be housing available for their employees. “The answer is: Watch us,” he said. The proposed funding includes $200 million to expand the state’s workforce development housing to provide 2,000 units of housing to those with a household income between 60 percent and 120 percent of their area’s median household income.
Another $200 million would go towards the state’s affordable housing program.
The proposal would also deposit $100 million into the state’s housing trust fund, a program that awards loans and grants to those providing affordable housing. The proposed dollars would prioritize housing with multiple units, situated downtown and in areas close to transportation.
Lamont also is proposing $100 million for the state’s “Time-To-Own” program, which helps low and moderate
incom e fa milies cover down payments. State officials expect those proposed funds to help residents purchase about 1,250 homes annually.
In addition, Lamont is advocating for several legislative changes he said would support renters’ rights and create incentives for the production of new housing aimed at low- and moderate-incom efa milies.
Some of the legislation Lamont proposed included House Bill 6666, which would limit security deposits to one month, raise fines against landlords for housing code violations by 300 percent and prohibit some landlords from discriminating based on sexual orientation.
Another bill, Senate Bill 985, would leverage new bond funding for the Municipal Redevelopment Authority to stimulate economic and transit-oriented development, which his office hopes would create new housing units for lowand moderate-income families.
Steve Gulick, an executive with Connecticut Housing Partners, said receiving some of the funding would allow his group to acquire properties to convert into affordable apartment units.
“Having the governor commit to providing us with this extra money is going to make our life a lot easier,” Gulick said.
Connecticut Housing Partners operate 10 properties in Fairfield County, including four in Bridgeport and others in Trumbull, Norwalk, Stamford and Wilton. Gulick said there is significant demand for affordable housing.
“I’ve been at this organization for three years now. We’ve been at full capacity since I started,” Gulick said.
Connecticut Housing Commissioner Seila Mosquera-Bruno said in addition to protecting renters, the plan would increase the housing supply and create a pathway to create new homeowners.
The funding, she said, “will allow the funding of new construction and rehabilitation of existing housing stock in order to house individuals and families within those income bands.”