Jennifer Leeper

Update on Housing Bill

View this email in your browser Dear Neighbor, There is no question that Connecticut is experiencing a complex housing shortage that impacts all residents, from young families to our seniors. Having heard from many of you about issues related to housing, development, and congestion, I know these issues are among the most pressing and sensitive for our community.   The housing proposal brought before the legislature today sought to address some of the challenges around our state's housing crisis, from zoning, to reducing homelessness, to additional funding to subsidize the construction of deeply affordable units.    While I support the mission of this legislation and several provisions held within this bill, there were other sections that were of great enough concern to me that I could not vote in support of the overall package.   I believe Fairfield will benefit from the additional funds that will enable us to subsidize the construction of the affordable and middle housing we need without all the added density of the luxury units that are otherwise required to offset the lost revenue to the deed-restricted units. I also believe our community will benefit from the prioritized infrastructure grants for our work around Fairfield-Black Rock Station. However, I have significant reservations around the Fair Share portions and our ability to realistically adhere to the housing quota set forth, or new rules around recouping legal fees in challenging 8-30g applications.   Since I've been elected, I have worked to reform 8-30g and prevent other proposals that I didn’t feel were in the best interest of Fairfield. As we know, in Fairfield County, the market conditions have made applications for multifamily developments very profitable. There is no question that Fairfield will continue to grow and change, but I believe it should be at our discretion, in a careful and achievable manner, and not at the sole discretion of developers or quotas that we cannot meet. Fixing Connecticut's housing shortage is an ongoing process, and I will always advocate for the best interest of our community in these debates. I'm committed to ensuring your voice is heard. Please don't hesitate to call my office at (860) 240-8585 or email me if there's anything I can do for you. Be sure to follow @LeeperForFairfield on Facebook and Instagram to stay up-to-date on everything I'm doing at the Capitol. Sincerely, Jennifer Leeper State Representative Website Email Facebook Instagram Forward to a friend | Unsubscribe from this list | Update subscription preferences