Brookfield, CT – Brookfield State Representative Martin Foncello (R-107) and Representative Tony Scott (R-112), the Ranking House Republican on the General Assembly’s Housing Committee, co-hosted a Housing Moratorium and 8-30(g) Presentation at Brookfield Town Hall on Tuesday, July 8.

Interested Brookfield residents learned about the state’s affordable housing laws, Brookfield’s standings of meeting the state’s objectives, and how the community can best manage its growth, along with ‘local character,’ going forward.

The Housing Moratorium and 8-30(g) Presentation by Reps. Scott and Foncello included a brief history of the 8-30(g) state ‘affordable housing laws’, major policy changes over the last few years, and a review of the omnibus bill, which was vetoed, HB 5002. After the presentation, the Representatives conducted a participant Q&A session, before concluding.

A scheduled veto override session is expected to be technical, so the veto of HB 5002 is expected to stand at this time. A special session on housing and zoning regulations is anticipated this fall.

“There has been a lot of development in Brookfield and Bethel in recent years. The towns are moving toward the 10-percent requirement of affordable housing units in order to get a moratorium, but there are challenges because of how the state counts units and what is deemed affordable,” said Rep. Foncello. “We are facing sewer capacity issues and increased demand on Fire and EMS services, and yet only halfway to the 10-percent requirement.”

“A vast majority of municipalities have little to no chance of reaching the 10% mandate of affordable housing stock.  I have voiced these concerns over the last couple years through my role as Ranking Member of the Housing Committee,” said Rep. Tony Scott. “We finally passed a bill this year to define what affordable means. The average resident has a different definition than what’s on the books. A lot of mobile home parks, for instance, are not counted as affordable.”

“One solution I proposed, which unfortunately was not raised by the majority party for a vote on the House floor, would include accessory apartments in the calculation of the threshold for exemption from the affordable housing appeals procedure,” added Rep. Scott.

For anyone who was unable to attend but would like to reach out to Rep. Foncello please call his State Capitol office at 1.800.842.1423 or email him at Martin.Foncello@housegop.ct.gov.