Statement on Governor Lamont's Veto of HB 5002

The following statement can be attributed to David Rich, President & CEO, the Housing Collective.

Across Connecticut, families are being squeezed by a housing crisis that touches every corner of our state. Nearly half of all renters are housing cost burdened—paying more than they can afford for a safe place to live. In Fairfield County alone, homelessness rose 19% last year, including a 150% increase among older adults. These trends are unsustainable—for our families, our workforce, and our economy.

HB5002 represented a meaningful step toward statewide solutions that open the door to more housing choices and greater opportunity for all. While we are disappointed by the Governor’s decision to veto this legislation, we are not discouraged.

The Housing Collective is based in Fairfield County, where opposition to HB5002 was strongest—and where the housing crisis is deeply felt. As the backbone organization for the region’s emergency homelessness response system, we work alongside communities that are grappling every day with the consequences of inaction: families entering shelters, workers leaving the region, and older adults priced out of the neighborhoods they’ve called home for decades.

We believe regional priorities matter—and we also believe that no single town or county can solve a crisis of this scale alone. We need coordinated, statewide leadership that meets the urgency of this moment and ensures that Connecticut remains a place where people of all incomes, backgrounds, and abilities can afford to live and thrive.

We are grateful to the many legislators who worked with resolve, empathy, and vision to pass HB5002. Their work reflected the values we know unite Connecticut residents: fairness, opportunity, and shared responsibility. We urge Governor Lamont to work with these legislative leaders—and with communities in every region—to co-create a stronger, more inclusive policy framework that reflects both local insight and statewide commitment.

This is not about winners and losers. It’s about whether our state will rise to meet the challenge of housing affordability with the courage and collaboration it demands. The Housing Collective remains ready to work with all partners—across party lines, across geographies, and across sectors—to ensure Connecticut’s housing future is one that works for everyone.