A8 Friday, May 19, 2023
The North Haven Citizen | northhavencitizen.com
Lamont to Realtors: More housing inventory needed By Ginny Monk The Connecticut Mirror
Gov. Ned Lamont on Monday told Connecticut real estate agents that the primary solution to one of the industry’s most pressing problems — a dearth of houses to sell — is to build more housing.
Laura DeMonte, the wife of Sgt. Dustin DeMonte, poses with their children, Porter, Phoebe and Penelope, at the Cars for a Cause event.
Cars for a Cause From A1
“The support from the community means so much,” Laura DeMonte said. “Everybody’s kindness and generosity and showing support for police officers, and that they care, means so much.” DeMonte added, “I have a tight community, a wonderful family, and my kids keep me going every day.”
The May 7 car show drew in vehicles – including trucks and motorcycles – from all over the state. Various vendors were there as well. Kristi Lavacca, sales manager at the North Haven Acura, said, “With Executive Cares Auto Group, our community outreach program,
we wanted to put this on to support our community and the fallen officers. Dustin was a resident of North Haven, and we have ties to the family, and we just wanted to show them our support and that we love our first responders.” nzappone@record-journal.com 203-317-2212
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Legislative session
“We’ve put $600 million over the next two years into housing,” Lamont said. “And that’s not just affordable housing, and what I call workforce housing — those are our studios and one bedrooms Lamont gave the statement — often in downtown arin response to a question eas, hopefully next to maposed by a presenter at the jor transit areas.” Connecticut Association of Earlier in the year, Lamont Realtors conference in announced his plan to Hartford about how he spend $600 million on would help incentivize homeowners to sell. “First housing ventures, including to build thousands of of all, you need more units of new housing in housing inventory,” LamConnecticut over the next ont said. “Let’s start with that. I mean, we’re desper- two years. ately short right now.” The bonding proposal that emerged from the comLamont gave a speech mittee process includes about the draw of moving to Connecticut, real estate money for the state’s housing trust fund, a flexiagents’ role in marketing ble housing fund and a the state to potential buyers, and housing and pop- homeownership program. ulation growth. The state’s It would add money to the cities are growing, he said, Connecticut Housing Reand more young families ceivership Revolving want to live in Connecticut Fund, which aims to imthan in past years. prove housing conditions Yet the real estate industry at large apartments in the state. has seen a drop in the number of homes for sale. It also has funds to retrofit As of Jan. 14, there were apartments in environabout 3,600 homes for sale mental justice communicompared to about 15,000 ties — certain communiin 2019, according to data ties of color that have from a presentation mem- been disproportionately bers of the National Assoimpacted by climate ciation of Realtors gave to change. lawmakers earlier this year. The Realtors’ presentation The state budget is still a work in progress, and lawtied that low inventory to makers will work with the underbuilding and delays in finishing new construc- governor to hash out the final figures in the coming tion. The state also lacks about 89,000 units of hous- weeks. Lamont also said ing that are affordable and he’d support transit-oriented development in available to its lowest indowntowns across the come renters. state, a proposal that’s reLamont’s remarks came ceived harsh backlash as the state legislature is from some local groups considering measures to and officials. increase housing stock and improve affordability for Connecticut residents. See Housing, A13