Press Releases
2026 PRESS RELEASES
COST Announces Town Crier Award Nominees - February 2, 2026
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COST URGES GOVERNOR LAMONT TO VETO MEGA-HOUSING BILL
The Connecticut Council of Small Towns (COST), which represents 115 smaller communities throughout Connecticut, issued a letter to Governor Lamont on June 6 urging him to veto HB-5002, which will impose tremendous burdens on small towns, undermining existing state, regional, and local efforts to promote more housing, including affordable housing.
“COST recognizes that the state and municipalities must work together to address the state’s housing needs, including promoting more affordable housing opportunities. We have supported legislation to incentivize the creation of more housing, including the administration’s proposal to encourage municipalities to create priority housing zones. COST also supports the work of the CT Municipal Development Authority, which is charged with assisting municipalities in planning for and supporting transit-oriented development, including housing development,” said Betsy Gara, COST’s Executive Director.
“Towns are creating affordable housing committees, working with the regional Councils of Government to conduct housing needs assessments, and engaging residents in thoughtful discussions about how to create more housing, including affordable housing, in their communities. In addition, many towns have embraced transit-oriented development projects to create more vibrant centers that attract mixed-use development and additional housing,” Gara explained.
Gara pointed out that “rather than build on these efforts, HB-5002 imposes sweeping top-down requirements on municipalities that will create confusion, undermine thoughtful planning, and impose compliance burdens on municipalities”:
"Fair Share" Housing Mandates - "Fair Share" is based on a New Jersey affordable housing model that has resulted in years of litigation. CT's Fair Share methodology, which was finalized in late May, requires the state to determine each town's affordable housing target based on certain factors, including housing mix, grand list strength, wealth, and poverty. However, it fails to consider water and wastewater capacity and other factors that are necessary to support housing development. The Fair Share housing mandate also requires municipalities to adopt zoning regulations to “create a realistic opportunity” for developers to build affordable housing units to meet the prescribed housing allocation, subject to approval by OPM, and requires certain municipalities to develop a detailed priority housing plan in addition to the existing planning requirement. This confusing set of compliance hurdles will undermine local resources needed to deliver critical services to residents.
Ban on Minimum Parking Requirements – By banning municipalities from establishing off-street parking requirements for developments with up to 24 units and allowing developers to determine parking requirements for larger projects, HB-5002 undermines local efforts to address traffic and other issues to protect public safety.
Tying Eligibility for Infrastructure Grants to Zoning Compliance – Your administration has recognized the importance of investing in local infrastructure to support well-maintained transportation networks, enhance economic and community development, address water quality issues, and expand wastewater capacity. By prioritizing infrastructure funding based on compliance with certain zoning requirements, HB-5002 undermines the availability of funding needed to support ongoing infrastructure investment.
Conversion of Commercial Lots "As-of-Right" – HB-5002 requires municipalities to allow the conversion of commercial lots to 2-9 unit middle housing developments as-of-right, sidestepping local oversight in ways that can create certain problems. In addition, municipalities work hard to market vacant commercial properties to attract new businesses and grow their grand lists. HB-5002 risks the loss of such commercial properties in favor of residential development. Commercial development typically has a more favorable impact on a town’s grand list because it generates higher tax revenue per square foot while placing fewer demands on municipal services like schools and emergency response. Unlike residential growth, which can increase long-term service costs, commercial properties help broaden the tax base and support economic vitality. This balance allows towns to invest more in infrastructure and public amenities without overburdening residential taxpayers.
One-Sided Attorney’s Fees Provision – HB-5002 unfairly penalizes towns and local planning commissions for exercising their right to appeal under 8-30g by subjecting them to possible attorney’s fees. This one-sided provision is unnecessary given the existing abuse of process protections in place.
“Accordingly, COST respectfully requests that Governor Lamont veto this bill and work with COST and other organizations to develop a balanced framework for promoting the development of more housing to meet Connecticut’s needs,” Gara said.
