Godfrey insists that ‘racism’ is responsible for blocking housing reform

By Scott Benjamin

DANBURY – State Rep. Bob Godfrey criticized Gov. Ned Lamont’s veto of the 92-page omnibus housing reform bill that was approved in both chambers, saying, “Why didn’t you talk to us before we passed it? Why did you wait?”

Godfrey (D-110) of Danbury, added, ““A good governor knows the General Assembly, sees the General Assembly as a partner.”

The bill was approved by fairly narrow margins in both chambers of the General Assembly, but drew resistance from Republicans, interest groups, and a raft of municipal chief elected officials who deemed it impractical.

Mark Pazniokas, CT Mirror’s Capitol Bureau Chief, wrote that Lamont (D-Greenwich) said during his news conference regarding the veto that “you have to have buy-in from the local communities.”

Godfrey remarked, “The whole point of this bill was to get the small towns on board.”

Columnist Chris Powell wrote at CT Hearst that, “While the country's housing supply has increased 9.4% in the last decade, Connecticut's has increased by only 3.9%. Not so coincidentally, the state's economic growth has badly lagged the nation's as well.”

There had been indication from Lamont’s comments at a news conference on Thursday, June 5 – the day after the General Assembly adjourned its regular session - that he was learning toward signing the legislation.

Godfrey, the Deputy House Speaker Pro Tempore, exclaimed, “Too many small, white suburban towns are saying affordable housing means allowing brown and black people into our towns. That’s nonsense.”

“I think the biggest obstacle to housing reform in Connecticut continues to be racism – it is just a fact,” he declared in an interview with Patch.com.

Brookfield First Selectman Steve Dunn, a Democrat, said, “He might have a point.”

However, Dunn explained, “Here is the problem: Developers do not care about what the color of a resident’s skin is. What they care about is whether they can make a profit. The problem is in a lot of towns – especially along the coast - Greenwich, Darien, Westport – the property values are so high you cannot build affordable housing and make it profitable.”

Dunn continued, “If the state wants affordable housing to be spread amongst every community, they should subsidize it.”

State Senate Republican Leader Stephen Harding (R-30) of Brookfield took exception with Godfrey citing “racism” as a cause for a lack of housing reform.

“I think that is insulting,” he declared. “Brookfield is filled with a great diversity of people and they are welcoming to call cultures and backgrounds. They believe in preserving open space and are against over-development.”

Godfrey said that Connecticut needs more than 100,000 units. “Businesses, big and small, are clamoring for more housing. There are jobs going unfilled because people who could fill them can’t find a place to live.”

“Talk to any candidate and they will tell you that in the top three or four issues among their constituents, it is housing affordability,” he added.

Godfrey said that the Republicans who voted as a bloc against the legislation are “happy with the status quo. I haven’t seen any proposals from the people who are against our work of the last few years.”

Dunn said some of the components of what was commonly referred to as bill “5002” were impractical.

He said developers could build 24 units without any parking. Dunn commented that in a vast number of Connecticut municipalities residents need to have a place to park their vehicle.

Dunn said the provision in which “you could transfer any commercial building to housing” was “ridiculous.”

“I thought this bill was an admonition,” he remarked. “It was proposals mish-mashed together into one big bill. It would have eliminated much of the local control for zoning. You cannot do a one size fits all. That is what this bill was.”

Dunn said that since 2015, Brookfield, which reportedly ranks 29th among Connecticut’s 169 municipalities in wealth, has gone from just over one percent affordable housing to 5.3 percent.

Dunn remarked, “Brookfield has done a really good job of managing that process.”

A year ago in an interview with Patch.com, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz (D-Middletown) echoed Godfrey’s comments that 100,000 units are needed – in part because the state it has 90,000 unfilled jobs – some of which are because of a lack of housing.

How can that be remedied without zoning reform?

Harding commented, “It needs to be done at cutting red tape on permits and construction at the state level.”

Pazniokas of CT Mirror wrote that Lamont called his veto “reluctant” and curged the stakeholders, including municipal officials, to craft a new version in the next 90 days. Without committing to any, he praised some of 5002’s provisions, such as one that would have required zoning regulations to allow small middle housing projects in commercial zones “as of right.”

Godfrey said that he fears state and municipal officials are “going to kick the can” down the road.

He also criticized Lamont’s veto of legislation that would have provided unemployment benefits to workers after two weeks.

Godfrey said that the opposition was mostly articulated from “big employers. They don’t like strikes and they don’t like their employees. It’s time we helped employees. Inflation has been real. Everything costs more – housing and groceries.”

However, unlike some progressive Democrats in the General Assembly who don’t want Lamont to seek a third term in 2026, Godfrey gives the governor “a B-plus,” indicating that he has signed some valuable bills for the working class and would be content if he seeks re-election.

Godfrey pointed to Lamont’s support of paid family medical leave, a higher minimum wage, a tax cut for the middle class and lower income, and, during the most recent session, a child care trust fund.

Godfrey expressed concerns last December, before the regular session convened, regarding a reduction in federal funding to the state under Republican President Donald Trump, who was about to embark on his second term.

He said those concerns are now “even bigger.”

“They’ve slashed Medicaid,” Godfrey declared. “They want to eliminate FEMA [the Federal Emergency Management Agency). They’re crazy. It’s chaos. It is mean-spirited.”

“We had a frustrating session, waiting for the other shoes to drop, and what it is going to cost the state of Connecticut,” Godfrey exclaimed. “We already only get 45 percent back from the federal government what the state residents pay in federal taxes.”

Godfrey said the “No Kings” rallies across Connecticut over the recent months indicate the large opposition to the president’s policies.

However, he acknowledged that nationally, the Democrats have not developed a counter-platform.

“’I’ve been asking that question,” commented Godfrey. “It has not been answered. Are we running as not-Trump? Or do we have a program in place that we can push. I haven’t seen a program nationally that we can push.”

He added, “We lost working people as a party because we have been portrayed as the party of the marginalized. I think we need to return to the old FDR, Kennedy, LBJ work for the working class and the middle-class workers.”

However, regarding Danbury, Godfrey lauded Democratic Mayor Roberto Alves, who since taking office less than two years ago, has traveled to the State Capitol to help secure more funding for the city.

“It is remarkable,” remarked Godfrey. “He’s been in meetings with [General Assembly] leadership. He has been at meeting with the governor. It helps us get things done. He has made our job as the legislative delegation for Danbury easier.”

“Mayors underfunded public education in Danbury for about 20 years,” he added. “We’re trying to gradually make up for that. The mayor has made education funding his priority.”

Godfrey said the Danbury school district got more Education Cost Sharing funds than ever before, which helped save 120 jobs in the public schools. The school district also received about $6 million more than anticipated for the new Danbury High School West.

On Western Connecticut State University (WCSU), Godfrey said that he hasn’t met incoming President Jesse Bernal, who is expected to take office on July 11. Bernal is leaving his position as a vice president at Grand Valley State University in Michigan.

Alex Putterman of CT Hearst reported in 2024 that enrollment at WCSU had declined 26.7 percent between 2018 and 2023.

Godfrey has insisted that the state bond money to make capital repairs and make WCSU more attractive to prospective students.

He remarked, “I’m going to push the town-gown relations. You’re not an ivory tower. You are part of a community. People complained that people didn’t know what Western was about.”

Godfrey said under departing interim President Manochar Singh, WCSU started to change that. He said that, for example, theater arts productions were being performed in the community.

He commented that WCSU has effectively developed a curriculum that helps students land high-paying jobs.

Godfrey explained, “One of the best things about Western is how in-tune it is with local employers.”

Resources:

Interview with Bob Godfrey, Patch.com, on Wednesday, June 18, 2025.

Phone Interview with Bob Godfrey, Patch.com, on Tuesday, June 24, 2025.

Interview with Steve Dunn, Patch.com, on Wednesday, June 25, 2025.

Phone interview with Stephen Harding, Patch.com, on Friday, June 27, 2025

https://ctmirror.org/2025/06/2...

https://www.ctinsider.com/poli...

https://www.ctinsider.com/poli...

https://ctnewsjunkie.com/2025/...

https://www.newstimes.com/news...

https://www.ctinsider.com/waterbury/opinion/article/connecticut-housing-shortage-bill-20386104.php

https://patch.com/connecticut/...