Connecticut rolls back zoning limits to target housing shortage

"Connecticut will officially join other states in rolling back decades-old zoning limits to make ground-up homebuilding easier and more plentiful. Last Wednesday morning, Gov. Ned Lamont signed compromise legislation created during a special session in mid-November, months after he vetoed the original bill as the state addresses an estimated 100,000-unit housing shortage. According to sister-title HousingWIre: After months of negotiations, the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities and Council of Small Towns backed the new bill alongside the governor."

"In a now-familiar nationwide pattern, municipalities had objected to the state overriding their zoning decisions. They particularly opposed a Fair Share policy that required cities, towns, and other localities to zone enough affordable housing to meet regional targets. Lamont agreed and pushed for a compromise that shifted to opting in to some but not all provisions. The compromise was passed two weeks ago, but the bill did not arrive on the governor's desk until Tuesday."

"Among many provisions in the 100-page law, one allows approval of missing middle housing developments by a summary or as-of-rightlike process in areas zoned commercial or mixed-use. Cities can choose to opt into a similar path in residential zones. The law bars municipalities from applying minimum off-street parking requirements to residential developments with fewer than 16 homes. For developments with more than 16 units, developers must provide a parking needs assessment instead of meeting rigid minimums."

Gov. Ned Lamont signed compromise legislation during a special session in mid-November to roll back longstanding zoning limits and expand ground-up homebuilding. The 100-page law takes effect January 1, 2026, and addressed an estimated 100,000-unit housing shortage. The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities and Council of Small Towns backed the compromise. The law allows missing-middle housing approvals by summary or as-of-rightlike processes in commercial and mixed-use zones, with cities able to opt into similar rules in residential areas. Municipalities cannot apply minimum off-street parking requirements to residential developments under 16 homes; larger projects require a parking needs assessment instead of rigid minimums.

Read at www.housingwire.com