Hubert Delany

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I hope you and your family have been enjoying the first few days of Spring. 

Warmer days and brighter times are right around the corner, and In next few months we will see the leaves and flowers start to bloom. It is my sincerest hope that you will have the opportunity to spend this time making lasting memories with your friends and loved ones. 

Our work in the legislature has been keeping me busy, but I am happy to report to you on the funding we have brought back to the community, the policy discussions I have been having, the bills I am working on, and upcoming events within in our community.

As always, I write this message with our community foremost in my mind. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions, concerns or issues you maybe facing.

Earlier this week, my colleagues and I highlighted $2.4 million in Community Investment Funds that will be used for the construction of 39 affordable housing units at 41-45 Stillwater Avenue.
Pacific House will be leading the creation and maintenance of the facility, and the facility will provide a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom units to serve individuals and families. It will also provide space for Pacific House staff to provide case management services for tenants.

This funding is an important resource in the fight against the housing crisis: it increases available housing and makes housing more affordable for our residents. 

I would like to thank Governor Ned Lamont, Mayor Caroline Simmons, the Deputy Commissioner for the CT Department of Economic and Community Development, Pacific House Executive Director Rafael Pagan, and my fellow members of the Stamford delegation who worked to bring this funding to our city.

Click below for news articles on the new funding:
 
https://patch.com/connecticut/stamford/amp/31275810/new-affordable-housing-units-to-be-built-on-stamfords-west-side
 
https://connecticut.news12.com/amp/non-profit-to-receive-nearly-25-million-to-build-affordable-housing-in-stamford
 
https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/local/article/stamford-pacific-house-affordable-housing-17849609.php

On Thursday, I was a key speaker on the importance of Early Voting and Voting Rights.
During the forum, we spoke on the importance of expanding expand our collective knowledge on voter access, encouraging people to exercise their constitutional right to vote, and resources to our historically underserved communities that still face disproportionate challenges. I believe that our democracy is strongest when every voice is heard, and it was an honor to campion the policies we are working on this session. 
 
I would like to think my legislative colleagues and fellow panelists for being a part of the discussion, and I would like to thank the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity, and Opportunity (CWCSEO) for organizing the event. 

Last year, voters across the state permitted the General Assembly to implement early voting. A bill that I am proud to co-sponsor that will bring early voting to this state is House Bill 5004.
 
Too often, people are not able to exercise their right to vote due to their busy schedules and obligations on Election Day. If this bill is passed, you will now be able to vote during designated times before Election Day, along with register to vote on the same day during the early voting period.
 
This bill will give you more options when deciding when to vote. I hope it will ease the barriers to voting and allow more citizens to get to the polls.

Another bill I am proud to co-sponsor which will support voting rights in our state is Senate Bill 1226.
 
An Act Concerning State Voting Rights would act as Connecticut’s own Voting Rights Act, dedicated to the civil rights trailblazer Representative John R. Lewis. This bill would ensure that the voting rights of all citizens, regardless of race, are protected.
 
If passed, the bill will create a state-wide database of election information, force certain voting districts with a history of discrimination to seek approval before they can change election laws, and make municipalities provide assistance for non-language speakers on election day in districts with a certain amount of language minority groups.
 
While many other states such as New York have adopted their own voting rights acts, now is the time Connecticut to create its own.
 
It is our responsibility to make sure the people’s right to vote is not infringed upon regardless of race, and I believe this act will help ensure that.