NVCOG staff outline implications of new state housing law; urge towns to consider opting into regional plan

Rick, NVCOG director, briefed members on a recently passed housing bill that replaces prior municipal affordable housing plans with a new structure of "housing growth plans" and a state‑driven target framework. He urged chief elected officials to strongly consider opting into a regional plan rather than each town producing its own plan, citing staff capacity and available state resources to support regional planning.

Rick said the statute sets statewide targets (to be apportioned regionally in consultation with COGs) and that NVCOG staff will recommend how the regional targets should be distributed among member towns. He emphasized that the new system creates targets, not mandatory building requirements, and that financial resources will be available to towns that meet those targets. He also advised towns that participation in the Connecticut Municipal Development Authority (CMDA) may open funding opportunities for infrastructure tied to transit‑oriented development.

On the developer appeal statute commonly referred to as 8‑30g, staff explained the continued risk that towns denying qualifying affordable housing applications could face appeals; Rick said he had advocated for a temporary suspension of 8‑30g appeals during plan development but that it did not appear in the final language. NVCOG committed to produce plain‑language guidance, legal questions for local attorneys, and additional analyses as staff reviews the bill language and LCO file copy.