Rep. Hoxha Votes “No” on Housing Bill: “Hartford Can’t Keep Ignoring Local Voices”

Hartford, CT – State Representative Joe Hoxha (R-78) voted “no” during last night’s Special Session on the legislature’s latest housing proposal, citing major concerns about government overreach, lack of transparency, and the continued erosion of local control.

“This bill is another top-down mandate that treats every community in Connecticut exactly the same,” said Rep. Hoxha. “That’s not how you solve housing challenges—it’s how you create new ones. Towns like Bristol and Plymouth have different needs, different resources, and different priorities. Hartford shouldn’t be deciding what’s best for them.”

Rep. Hoxha criticized the rushed and opaque process that led to the vote, noting that lawmakers were given new language just before the start of session and without a completed fiscal analysis.

“This is no way to make law,” he said. “The process lacked transparency and meaningful public input. People deserve to know what’s in a bill before it’s voted on—especially one that affects every town in the state.”

The bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 90-56 and now moves to the State Senate.

Among its most troubling provisions are:

• Stripping local zoning boards of input on certain development projects by requiring “summary reviews” without public hearings;
• Eliminating parking minimums, which could burden small-town infrastructure;
• Creating a state-controlled housing quota system, allowing Hartford to override local plans; and
• Establishing a new housing council dominated by gubernatorial appointees, giving the executive branch sweeping control over zoning policy.

“This isn’t about housing—it’s about control,” Rep. Hoxha added. “Local leaders know their communities best, and they should be trusted to guide growth responsibly. Hartford’s job should be to support towns, not dictate to them.”