SB 12 Connecticut Senate · 2025 Regular Session

AN ACT CONCERNING CONNECTICUT'S HOUSING NEEDS.

SB 12 establishes a working group to study state and local barriers (like zoning and building codes) preventing the construction of affordable single-family starter homes. It also creates a new funding incentive: school districts in municipalities meeting specific affordable housing thresholds (6-10%) will receive increased state grant money for school projects (5-20% higher, depending on the threshold). Additionally, the bill authorizes $50 million in state bonds to fund a four-year pilot program for construction projects that create jobs in affordable housing development, requiring union pension fund co-investment, project labor agreements, and workforce training. The law directly affects municipalities (via housing thresholds), school districts (via grant eligibility), and housing developers (via funding access).

Sub-Topics: Pensions Affordable Housing Housing Finance Zoning

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 8, 2025 Last action May 13, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Proposed Bill → Committee Bill · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was significantly rewritten from a general housing opportunity statement into a specific legislative package establishing a working group to study barriers to building starter homes, creating a new funding mechanism for school building grants tied to affordable housing thresholds, and authorizing $50 million in bonds to fund construction employment programs for affordable housing development.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from a broad statement of purpose to include specific operational mechanisms, funding authorizations, and eligibility criteria for school districts and housing developers.

DEFINITION

Added a formal definition of 'starter homes' as affordable single-family residential dwellings.

REQUIREMENT

Established a new working group to study barriers to building starter homes with specific membership requirements and a deadline to submit findings by January 1, 2026.

FISCAL

Created a new funding mechanism that increases school building project grants by 5-20% depending on the municipality's affordable housing threshold levels.

Authorized the State Bond Commission to issue up to $50 million in bonds to fund a four-year pilot program for construction employment opportunities in affordable housing development.

TIMELINE

Set specific effective dates of July 1, 2025 for most provisions and January 1, 2026 for the working group report deadline.

TECHNICAL

Removed the original general statement of purpose and replaced it with detailed statutory language.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

Joint Favorable

upper

May 8, 2025

Upper · Passed

IMMEDIATE TRANSMITTAL TO COMMITTEE

upper

May 5, 2025

Upper · Passed

Joint Favorable

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Upper · Passed

Joint Favorable

upper

Mar 5, 2025

Committee

REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Housing

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

DRAFTED BY COMMITTEE

upper

Jan 8, 2025

Committee

REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Housing

upper

24 primary · 0 co-sponsors