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Committee advances concept to let housing authorities operate outside municipal borders
Summary
The Connecticut House and Senate Housing Committee agreed to raise a concept that would allow local housing authorities to operate beyond their municipal boundaries; lawmakers expressed concern the proposal could let one authority act without host-community consent.
The Housing Committee raised a concept to allow local housing authorities to operate outside their statutory municipal boundaries, putting the proposal on the committee’s list for a public hearing.
The concept drew pointed questions and objections from several members who said similar proposals have been considered in prior years. Senator John Sampson, a committee member, said the draft appears to let an authority such as New Haven Housing Authority develop or purchase property in other municipalities “without the other municipality being agreed to do it.” He added, “So I will also be a no today,” when asked for his position on raising the concept for a hearing.
The bill sponsor described the item as an early-stage concept and said it is “the beginning of the process” and that committee negotiators would be willing to compromise on language before a final bill is drafted. Representative Scott said housing authorities can already enter into contracts across municipal lines; the proposal would remove a host municipality’s ability to refuse such activity.
Several members said the proposal has repeatedly surfaced over the past four years and that their votes to raise the concept should not be read as final approval of any specific language. Representative Sampson asked for a public hearing to gather perspectives; Representative Weir and others emphasized that only a small number of housing authorities have sought this change and that it appears driven primarily by one entity, which members identified as New Haven’s housing authority.
The committee called a roll-call vote to raise the concept for a hearing. Individual members voiced votes on the record; the transcript records both yes and no votes. The motion to raise the concept advanced to the committee process for further consideration and public comment. Specific statutory limits (for example how far outside a jurisdiction an authority could operate) were not in the concept as presented and were described as “not specified.”
Committee next steps will include a public hearing where members said they expect to receive input from municipalities, housing authorities and the public before language is introduced for committee markup.
The transcript shows the discussion occurred during the agenda item labeled “Item number 2,” and committee members repeatedly emphasized that the item is a concept for hearing rather than a draft bill ready for enactment.
