Bill reforming 8-30g affordable housing passes House, moves to Senate

HARTFORD, CT – State Senator Tony Hwang (R-28) said that many months of negotiating a bipartisan proposal paid off this week when legislation reforming Connecticut’s affordable housing system passed the House of Representatives and headed to the Senate.

The bill, HB 6880 as amended was passed by the House of Representatives on Tuesday night by a vote of 116-33.

Co-Chair of the General Assembly Housing Committee, Sen. Hwang praised the bill’s vote in the House and said he looks forward to voting on it in the Senate.

“I thank my colleagues in the House of Representative for their successful passage of statutory reform that will motivate our state and municipalities toward greater access and inventory of workforce and affordable housing for Connecticut residents,” Sen. Hwang said.  We move one step closer toward our goal to increase housing opportunities for everyone in Connecticut and encourage a diverse and dynamic residential community that will foster economic, educational, and cultural growth.  Another objective met will allow more local zoning and planning input in developing affordable & workforce housing projects that are compatible with community character and zoning statutes.  I also want to extend my gratitude to all stakeholders for their passion and participation in making this important housing reform possible.”

The bill makes several critical reforms to restore the ability of many communities throughout Connecticut to make comprehensive zoning and planning decisions.

Sen. Hwang said the 8-30g law has become an emotional issue for many communities because of the broad latitude it gives developers to build under the auspices of increasing affordable housing inventory. Developers can place dense, multi-family projects into single-family neighborhoods, or take land set aside for office buildings and make it into residential properties with set aside percentages far below median income housing. These sometimes controversial development projects often change the town’s character and disrupts neighborhoods.

Under the current 8-30g law, a local zoning board can reject such a plan only if the project represents a threat to public health and safety that outweighs the need for affordable housing. Often, projects rejected by local planning and zoning boards are approved on appeal to the Land Use Litigation Docket, a branch of the state Superior Court.

“This bill updates the nearly 30-year-old 8-30g language so that it addresses the need for affordable housing in our state, while providing more fairness to local communities that are often at the mercy of developers whose projects conflict with the wishes of the town zoning bodies and neighborhoods,” Sen. Hwang said.

The provisions of the bill are:

• Lowers minimum number of Housing Unit Equivalent (HUE) points smaller municipalities must  obtain to qualify for a moratorium from 75 points to 50 points
• Encourages the development of family units and senior units tied to family housing, and family units located in incentive housing zones
• Makes income-restricted units in an Incentive Housing Zone (IHZ) development eligible for points toward a moratorium.
• Changes the definition of Median Income applicable to IHZ’s to conform to 8.30g’s definition (the lesser of state median income and the area median income as determined by HUD).
• Establish a 2nd moratorium for municipalities with at least 20,000 dwelling units after qualifying for 1st reprieve.
• Requires towns to adopt strategic plans to state on how they will increase the amount of affordable units within their community.
• Contains a five year sunset provision

Sen. Hwang said he looks forward to the Senate approving the bill so it can be signed into law by the Governor.

Senator Tony Hwang represents the communities of Fairfield, Easton and Newtown along with portions of Westport, Weston.

Restores millions to municipalities, state parks, and programs for those with intellectual disabilities

Hartford – Today, State Senator Tony Hwang (R-28) praised the passage of a bipartisan deficit mitigation plan to cover the $317 million shortfall in the state budget for the current year ending June 30, 2017.

The plan approved by the Senate protects $1 million in privately raised monies for state parks and restores $1 million in funding for employment opportunities and day services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Hospitals also will not see a reduction in funding.

“Passing this plan with bipartisan Senate support from Democrats and Republicans shows that we can work together to adopt legislation that is in the best interest of the state and its residents,” Sen. Hwang said. “This is the kind of collaborative leadership that needs to continue in our biennial budget deficit negotiations. We need a budget process that address fundamental and structural changes to state government that creates predictability, sustainability and transparency.”

The state’s budget reserve fund maintains a balance of approximately $30 million under the Senate’s plan. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives.

Following the passage of the deficit mitigation plan, the Senate also approved a deficiency bill passed in the House of Representatives last week. The deficiency bill allows the state to continue paying for core services in the final weeks of the fiscal year. This includes:

• $7.6 million for the Department of Developmental Services;
• $7.1 million for the Office of Early Childhood, with most of those funds needed for the
  Birth-to-Three program;
• $4.0 million for the Public Defender Services Commission;
• $500,000 for the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Services;
• $300,000 for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner

To meet these needs, legislator redirected $19.5 million in projected surplus funds from a fringe benefits account. The bill now heads to the Governor’s desk for approval.

Sen. Hwang represents the communities of Easton, Fairfield, Newtown, Weston, and Westport.

Sen. Tony Hwang issued the following statement after the Connecticut State Senate’s May 24 passage of legislation to expand gambling in Connecticut:

“This has been a David vs. Goliath fight from the beginning.  The forces that want expanded gambling in Connecticut are extremely powerful.  I continue to stand with a diverse coalition of religious and grassroots groups who have joined me in the fight against expansion.  We are focused on the human consequences of gambling.  We believe that doubling down on the gambling industry ignores the significant and heartbreaking human and societal costs which would arise from addiction.  We believe that rolling the dice on casino expansion puts our state at risk for constitutional challenges by MGM or others under the equal protection clause.  We continue to believe that this policy is a bad bet, because it is chasing after a limited and declining pool of resources. Our focus remains on the people whose lives have been ruined by gambling addiction.  Our focus remains on preventing future addiction from taking hold and growing in our state.”

Members of the Coalition Against Casino Expansion in Connecticut include:

• Connecticut Catholic Conference

• Connecticut Conference of the United Church of Christ
• Episcopal Church in Connecticut
• Connecticut League of Women Voters
• Family Institute of Connecticut
• New England Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America
• Connecticut Association for Human Services
• Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport
• Advocacy Unlimited, Inc.
• Farmington Valley American Muslim Center
• Resident Bishop New England Conference of the United Methodist Church
• American Baptist Churches of Connecticut

The amendment, which became the bill, can be viewed at:  https://www.cga.ct.gov/2017/lcoamd/2017LCO07686-R00-AMD.htm .  The bill now awaits a vote in the Connecticut House of Representatives.

*Sen. Hwang represents Easton, Fairfield, Newtown, Weston and Westport .  On the web: www.SenatorHwang.com and www.NoMoreCasinosInCT.org .

Attached photo:

“No More Casinos in CT.”  Sen. Tony Hwang (left) and former Connecticut Congressman Robert Steele (right), author of “The Curse: Big-Time Gambling’s Seduction of a Small New England Town” testified on Mar. 9 against proposals to expand gambling in Connecticut.  Gambling expansion legislation passed in the State Senate on May 23.  Hwang voted “no”.  The bill now awaits a vote in the Connecticut House of Representatives.

FAIRFIELD – Sen. Tony Hwang (at podium) on May 26 joined with students, parents, teachers, local leaders and members of American Legion Post 143 at the Holland Hills School Memorial Day Program to honor our fallen heroes and reflect on our freedoms.

Sen. Tony Hwang, who represents Newtown, issued the following statement regarding Newtown First Selectman Pat Llodra’s decision not to seek re-election:

“Friend. Mentor. Leader. These are but a few of the words that come to mind when I think of Pat Llodra. It has been an honor to work with her for the betterment of Newtown. She is tireless, she is selfless, and she is strong. Pat’s emphasis on commitment to community and simple acts of kindness has had – and will continue to have – a positive influence on how we live our lives. Simply put, Pat Llodra loves Newtown and its people. She is a very special person – someone I admire greatly – and I wish her nothing but the very best in the future.”

Attached photo: Newtown First Selectman Pat Llodra and Sen. Tony Hwang on Mar. 1 testified side by side at the Legislative Office Building before the state legislature’s Education Committee in opposition to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s proposed state budget and the unfair burdens it places on municipalities, schools, and property taxpayers.