Senator Rahman Votes to Pass Comprehensive Bill to Build Housing and Lower Costs

Sen. MD Rahman, D-Manchester, voted early Saturday to give final passage to legislation which will increase the state’s supply of housing units, reduce housing costs in communities statewide, and address Connecticut’s housing shortage.

The bill’s extensive updates to state housing policy come as groups ranging from the National Low Income Housing Coalition to the Connecticut Business and Industry Association have drawn attention to the state’s lack of housing to meet the demands of its population. Shortages of affordable housing units for rent tally anywhere from 90,000 to more than 110,000, according to the organizations. The NLIHC stated that this shortage financially harms struggling households, while the CBIA noted the growing deficit is creating challenges for Connecticut businesses in recruiting and retaining employees.

Acknowledging this need, House Bill 5002, “An Act Concerning Housing And The Needs Of Homeless Persons,” seeks to address the issue in a variety of ways, utilizing new strategies to encourage new construction and new housing development statewide.

“Housing is a basic need, and right now too many Connecticut families are being priced out or pushed out,” Senator Rahman said. “We have an obligation to change this and H.B. 5002 represents a major step forward. It supports working families, protects renters, and gives our towns the tools they need to plan smart growth. By expanding housing options across the state, we’re investing in our economy and our communities.”

House Bill 5002 has a number of updates to state policies, focused on a variety of improvement strategies, including:

Increasing Housing Supply And Reducing Costs

-Building more housing near transit through the new Towns Take The Lead program to prioritize transit-oriented development

-Drastically increasing middle housing development, up to nine units, by cutting red tape in commercially zoned areas

-Creating a first-time homebuyer savings program to allow individuals and employers to contribute into special savings accounts supporting homebuying expenses

-Funding affordable housing development projects while creating employment opportunities in the construction industry, both creating well-paying union jobs and creating housing units

-Requiring town-by-town plans to meet 25% of suggested affordable housing allocations

Protections For Renters

-Expanding fair rent commissions to all towns with populations over 15,000, including flexibility for joint or regional commissions

-Increasing direct rental assistance programs over the next three years by allowing grants for nonprofit providers

-Encouraging projects constructed by the housing authorities of multiple neighboring towns

-Re-establishing the Open Choice Voucher pilot program for summer 2026, expanding rental opportunities

Reducing Homelessness

-Providing portable showers and laundry facilities to people experiencing homelessness through a new pilot program

-Prohibiting municipalities from installing “hostile infrastructure” on publicly accessible areas – this is defined as architecture preventing a person experiencing homelessness from sitting or lying in or on a building or structure

This bill is designed to drastically improve the state’s response to housing needs, supporting vulnerable residents and empowering communities to find new means of development for long-term support. Municipalities will gain access to funding to aid planning ahead to effectively develop housing and increase supply for those struggling the most.