August 12, 2024
Today, Nick Simmons, candidate for CT-36 State Senate seat, announced a five-point plan to improve Connecticut’s housing laws. This includes amending 8-30g to allow for greater community input, advocating for more state funds, lowering development costs, and streamlining approval processes. Most importantly, Simmons believes that fixing the housing issues requires empowering local towns and cities to achieve their individual housing goals.
"Connecticut's housing policies have failed our communities for decades, offering little support for local control or economic growth. We need a collaborative approach that empowers towns and cities to achieve their own housing goals,” said Simmons. “As State Senator for the 36th District, I will champion smart, action-oriented policies that prioritize local authority and support communities in shaping their housing futures."
Simmons’ five-point plan includes:
Introducing Common Sense Legislation: 8-30g is clearly not working in its current form. Any policy that takes the power away from towns to determine their own housing futures is a flawed approach. But many Republican proposals in the legislature redefine income limits entirely and reclassify what units constitute as affordable, neither of which will build enough housing to help our state’s economy grow. Nick will focus on amending 8-30g to make it easier for communities to provide input on developments and ensure alignment with their vision for community development.
More State Funding: The state should invest more funding to help towns realize their own self-determined housing plans. The funding will be directed towards towns that have crafted their own substantive housing plans developed by the community. Nick will continue to unlock more funding for the 36th District to increase housing production while lowering overall costs.
Lowering Costs: Building housing is expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. Several new building materials (e.g. mass timber) exist that are faster to build and result in lower overall construction costs, all while lowering carbon emissions from construction. Nick will work with the Governor and the Legislature to support the increased adoption of these materials while seeking alternative faster construction methods that will defray costs. While Republican legislative proposals will ultimately constrict development and put upward pressure on housing prices, Nick will focus on real solutions that will lower development costs.
Cutting Red Tape and Streamlining Approvals: Nick will work with municipalities on implementing new streamlined approval processes. This would include creating one-stop permitting shops and special review teams for smaller residential projects. We should also allow for concurrent review and self-certification–all geared toward cutting red tape so that developers don’t pass delay costs onto residents. Republicans have proposed that the Department of Housing should conduct a study on streamlining the review of building permit applications; legislation that ultimately received no support. Studies take time and are often suggested because ideas are not on the table.
Supporting Local Housing Plans: Greenwich, Stamford, New Canaan and other towns across our state have already generated great ideas that will move the needle on housing. Ideas include updating building zone regulations to promote more workforce housing through inclusionary zoning, inventorying public land that could be offered to Housing Authorities, updating elderly and affordable accessory housing requirements, and encouraging subsidized housing in areas served by transit. Nick fervently believes that the role of the state is to work hand-in-hand with municipalities to support them realizing homegrown policy visions.
For more information about Simmons’ campaign, visit www.nicksimmonsforct.com or contact press@nicksimmonsforct.com