Irene Haines

Hartford, CT – State Representative Irene Haines (R-East Haddam, East Hampton, Salem) is strongly opposing House Bill 5002, a controversial piece of legislation being pushed by majority Democrats in the General Assembly that would strip local governments of control over housing decisions and impose broad state mandates without meaningful transparency or public input.

The bill could come up for a vote as early as Tuesday, after a previous attempt failed to gain enough support. Crafted without public hearings or local engagement, H.B. 5002 would have devastating consequences for Connecticut’s small towns—communities that are already too often overlooked by decision-makers in Hartford.

“As someone who proudly represents small, tight-knit towns, I know firsthand how often our communities are left behind by policies written in Hartford,” Rep. Haines said. “This bill would only make it worse by forcing one-size-fits-all mandates on towns that are all unique and face very different challenges.”

Major concerns with H.B. 5002 include:

• Loss of Local Authority Over Parking Requirements
  The bill would prevent towns from requiring off-street parking for most new developments, even in areas where public parking is already scarce and traffic congestion is a concern.
• State-Imposed High-Density Housing Near Transit
  Municipalities would be compelled to allow dense multifamily housing in commercial zones near transit hubs, even if the infrastructure and services to support such growth are lacking. Towns that do not comply would be penalized by being pushed to the back of the line for critical state funding.
• Mandated Middle Housing in Commercial Zones
  Commercially zoned properties would be required to allow the development of duplexes, triplexes, and townhouses without local approval. This erases the ability of small towns to decide what fits best with their character and long-term planning.
• Unrealistic Affordable Housing Quotas from Hartford
  The state would impose binding housing targets on every municipality, without considering land availability, infrastructure capacity, or local needs. Even more troubling, the state, not the local community, would determine who those housing units are for, leaving local voices out of the equation entirely.
• More Mandates, More Bureaucracy
  The bill requires every town, regardless of size, to create or join a Fair Rent Commission. Many smaller communities already operate efficiently with limited resources and simply do not need another top-down mandate from the state.
• Weakened Citizen Input on Zoning Changes
  Under current law, 20 percent of affected property owners can trigger a supermajority vote on zoning changes. This bill raises that threshold to 50 percent of all lots within a 500-foot radius, making it significantly harder for residents to have a say in what happens in their neighborhoods.
• Risky Cash Payments to Renters
  A new pilot program in the bill would provide direct cash payments to select renters, bypassing the housing voucher system that ensures accountability through payments to housing providers. This approach removes oversight and opens the door to potential misuse of taxpayer funds.

“This bill was drafted behind closed doors with no input from the small towns it would hurt the most,” Rep. Haines said. “It ignores the realities we face and threatens to override local voices in favor of bureaucratic control from Hartford.”

Rep. Haines is urging residents of East Haddam, East Hampton, Salem, and surrounding communities to contact their legislators immediately and demand that H.B. 5002 be rejected in favor of real, collaborative solutions that respect local needs and uphold transparency in the legislative process.