8-30g Moratorium, and more

April 11, 2025



 

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Dear Neighbor,

Happy Friday!

I want to start off by sharing some great, and long-awaited, news for our community: Fairfield has been granted a four-year moratorium from the state's 8-30g affordable housing law!

I know that most of you are familiar with this law but for those who are not, 8-30g is a 35-year-old state law that allows developers to bypass local zoning laws to build housing in towns where less than 10% of the housing is considered affordable so long as 30% of the project is set aside as deed-restricted affordable between 60-80% AMI. This amounts to what we would consider workforce housing and not deeply-affordable housing.

Reaching this moratorium has been challenging, and at times painful, for our community. A growing and thriving community is a luxury but that can also come along with growing pains. This moratorium means no developers can use 8-30g to circumvent our local zoning laws for the next four years. We are expected to continue to make progress on our affordable housing goals so that in four years, we can hopefully be eligible for another moratorium. However, we will have complete control and responsibility for how we make that progress.

I'm proud of the work our town has done, and I look forward to continuing to be part of Connecticut's housing solution.

You may also have heard that 8-30g applications submitted during the Dept. of Housing review period are considered grandfathered in. This is certainly frustrating. We did submit a bill, HB-6335, to fix this and not allow for the acceptance of applications during the review process so long as the moratorium was granted. While this was not raised by the Housing Committee, we are continuing to pursue it.

You can read more about this moratorium here.

In the rest of this week's eblast, you can read about supporting healthy schools, lowering your utility costs, and more. You can click the links below to navigate between sections.
 

Supporting Healthy Schools

This week, I was honored to attend the third annual National Health Schools Week press conference, where we discussed the importance of having healthy indoor air quality in our schools.

I have been talking about this work for the past several years because the pandemic shone spotlight on the importance of air quality and ventilation for health and learning.I have been co-chairing the Indoor Air Quality in Schools Working Group and this year we are permanently adding HVAC improvements to the eligible expenses for school construction reimbursement from the state. This may not sound like a big deal but this marks a continuation of investment in this work into perpetuity. 
 
This issue is more than just about air conditioning in schools - it is about the health and wellbeing of the students and faculty. Poor air quality in school affects the ability to lean and educate, and can have lifelong health impacts. This movement to raise awareness of the importance of air quality was championed for the past 20+ years by educators who suffered permanent health impacts from the McKinley mold outbreak in 2000 here in Fairfield.

It was great hearing from teachers and advocates about how legislation proposed this year could provide a major support to this cause.

I hope you'll watch the press conference to see our full thoughts!
 

Universal Pre-K Roundtable 

This week, it was a privilege to be part of the Governor's Roundtable on the Universal Pre-K Endowment with the Commissioner of Early Childhood, researcher Dr. Walter Gilliam and leaders in this space.

We have the opportunity to do something truly transformative this legislative session with this universal pre-k endowment. We have the opportunity to create a system to support access to pre-k for children and the financial support to families into perpetuity. I am so energized by this prospect and grateful for these leaders who helped get us here!

You can watch the entire roundtable discussion here.
 

Lowering Your Utility Costs 

People who live in Connecticut currently pay the second-highest electricity prices in the country, placing an undue financial strain on families, businesses, and communities. Our goal in the legislature is to implement policies that lower prices and enhance transparency that would benefit all ratepayers.

There are two important pieces of legislation, House Bill 1531 and House Bill 7206, aimed at tackling the rising cost of utility bills while ensuring greater accountability for public utilities. Both bills passed out of the Government Administration and Elections Committee and now move to the House and Senate floors for further consideration.
 
These proposals are designed to:
  • Increase public-utility transparency by making them subject to the Freedom of Information Act for the regulated parts of their business
  • Reduce monopoly power and consolidation by preventing utility companies from owning both gas and electric utilities
  • Strengthen oversight to ensure our utilities are acting in the best interest of consumers and not incurring unnecessary costs
  • Ensuring utility capital projects are properly vetted to ensure they are necessary, the least costly, the best alternative, and best serve our future energy needs
These measures give the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority and the Connecticut Siting Council more tools to better regulate utility companies and reduce our energy costs.

Strengthening these regulatory bodies is a crucial step toward protecting consumers from excessive costs and fostering a more fair and sustainable energy system for households and businesses across the state.

Through legislative action and public engagement, we are committed to ensuring a more affordable and equitable energy future for everyone.

Below is a breakdown of your electric bill.
 

Real ID Deadline: May 17 

Time is running out to get your REAL ID!

Beginning May 7, you will need a REAL ID, U.S. Passport or U.S. Passport Card to board domestic flights or access certain federal facilities (such as nuclear power plants, military bases, and other federal buildings).

What is a REAL ID?
A REAL ID is a state-issued ID that meets minimum security standards to access federal facilities and board domestic flights. The program was implemented following a 9/11 commission recommendation on making air travel and federal facilities more secure.

How do I get a REAL ID? 
You must visit a DMV site in-person to get a REAL ID.  Only U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible for a verified license or REAL ID card. Customers with a drive-only license aren’t eligible for a REAL ID license. Check the CT information portal for more information.

In Connecticut, you'll need:
  • a U.S. passport or U.S. birth certificate
  • a Social Security card; and two pieces of mail from two different sources dated within 90 days to prove that you live in Connecticut
  • For all new applications for a driver's license, as well as out-of-state transfers to Connecticut licenses, you will automatically be issued a REAL ID
How do I know if I already have a REAL ID?
Check your driver's license or ID to see if it has a gold star in the upper right corner, like the above graphic. If you do, then you have a verified REAL ID.

For more information, visit the following:

Department of Homeland Security
CT Department of Motor Vehicles
 

UConn Women Victory Parade 

Congratulations to the UConn Women's basketball team on winning its 12th national title last Sunday!

You can be part of the victory parade and rally in downtown Hartford on Sunday, April 13.  The parade will step off at the State Capitol building at 1:00 P.M. at the intersection of Trinity Street and Elm Street and will end at the intersection of Asylum Street and Trumbull Street.

The rally will begin at approximately 1:30 P.M. and will be held outside of the main entrance of the XL Center on Trumbull Street.
 

Community Fun! 
Fishing Derby
Gould Manor Pond (655 Holland Hill Road, Fairfield)
April 12, 9-11am
Read more here


Beach Bunny 5K
Jennings Beach
April 12, 8-11am
Read more here
 

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

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