Letters to the Editor

NewCanaanite.com recently received the following letters to the editor. Please send letters to editor@newcanaanite.com for publication here.

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Dear Editor,

I would like to express agreement with the bipartisan group that has contacted Gov. Ned Lamont and asked him to veto the perhaps well intended but grossly ill-conceived HB 5002: An Act Concerning Housing and the Needs of Homeless Persons.

I have many decades of public service in New Canaan and spent many years as its Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission. Based upon my experience, I believe that towns can on their own build affordable housing while maintaining community character and cohesion. Indeed, in 2007, under my leadership, our Commission established an affordable housing fund and New Canaan has since successfully built several affordable projects exceeding the requirements of 8-30g. 

Imposing additional requirements on towns like New Canaan will be counterproductive and harmful to the community. Many aspects of the law, including for example getting rid of parking requirements, will make it difficult for towns to manage themselves and protect their citizens’ interests. 

While I laud the goal of providing more housing as much as anyone, growth without community support and involvement is disadvantageous. I ask the governor to veto HB 5002. 

Thank you,

Laszlo Papp

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To the Editor,

I respectfully urge Governor Lamont to veto HB 5002, An Act Concerning Housing and the Needs of Homeless Persons. 

Although I share our state’s commitment to addressing Connecticut’s affordable housing challenges, HB 5002 imposes sweeping, unfunded state mandates that undermine local governance and thoughtful planning.

New Canaan’s officials and its residents have risen to this challenge to create more affordable housing in our community.

In 2021 co-chair Building Committee member Chris Hussey marked the completion of 60 renovated affordable housing units as part of the Canaan Parish Redevelopment. A month later 40 more new units were added. Ms. Hussey has been working on achieving more affordable housing since 1978. During WWII the Millport Apartments had 40 affordable units that increased to 113 units by 2021. 

From Greenwich Free Press.com [March 25, 2021]:

New Canaan’s former P&Z chair Laszlo Papp is credited with having the vision to create that town’s affordable housing fund 14 years ago (circa 2007). “…we adopted the affordable housing fund, which enables fees collected for all Zoning Permits for any new building construction or addition in any zone to help fund the development of affordable housing in New Canaan using the Housing Authority to build with a down payment, obtain bank assistance to build…and it is affordable.” 

In May of 2024 New Canaan Town Council passed an ordinance that allowed for the formation of an Affordable Housing Committee, calling for appointed residents from both political parties to identify properties that could support affordable housing developments. 

In October 2024 The New Canaan Housing Authority closed on the approximately $75 million acquisition of a 104-unit apartment complex on Lakeview Avenue known as “Riverwood at New Canaan”. 21units will be converted to 80% Area Median Income units to become ‘workforce housing’ with more units converted in the future.

However, HB 5002 would override New Canaan’s local planning efforts and force additional growth without regard for our infrastructure, fiscal capacity, or the progress New Canaan officials continue to make.

In Governor Lamont’s 2023 remarks at the Connecticut Association of Realtors conference, he emphasized the need to attract residents by making housing accessible, while preserving community character. At the 2024 CT Housing Conference, he advocated for local solutions to the housing crisis, noting that top-down approaches often fail to account for unique municipal needs.

Sincerely,

Betty J. Lovastik