Lawmakers Discuss Crumbling Foundation Proposals

HARTFORD- Area legislators joined local elected officials and homeowners impacted by the crumbling foundation issue at the legislative office building in Hartford on Tuesday morning. This bipartisan press conference focused on crumbling foundation legislation introduced this session.

Last year, a bipartisan working group, comprised of lawmakers whose communities are being impacted by the crumbling foundation issue, united to brainstorm ideas on how to tackle the issue. The working group introduced, H.B. 6478, An Act Concerning Failing Concrete Foundations, which would:

• prohibit the use of pyrrhotite in concrete aggregate intended for use in foundations
• require the installation of curtain drains along concrete foundations in high water table areas
• require that concrete removed from failed foundations is properly disposed of
• establish a one-hundred-dollar surcharge on residential and commercial insurance policies
• assess annually for a period of not more than seven years
• establish a fund out of which a homeowner may receive up to seventy-five thousand dollars for the remediation of such homeowner’s failing concrete foundation
• waive the state building fee associated with the 10 remediation of failing concrete foundations

In total, 19 pieces of legislation have been introduced by lawmakers this session pertaining to crumbling foundations. For a full list of the bills submitted by Republican and Democrat lawmakers click here.

“This is not a localized issue, it is a state of Connecticut issue and we are all going to share in fixing this problem,” said Rep. Ackert (R-8). “From insurance companies, to the banks, to property owners, the federal government, state of Connecticut, and municipalities, we are all going to need to invest in this so that the issue gets fixed.”

###