Democratic State Representative Candidate Michelle Embree Ku

Why don't we jump real quickly over into housing development? And so how would you balance that need for additional affordable housing with Newtown's desire to preserve its local character?

I think we're trying really hard to make that balance.

I mean, there's a lot of state legislation that makes it more difficult.

But I think Newtown is doing a pretty good job in the sense that the Taunton Hill Press building has been rehabilitated.

And it's great to see the apartments being advertised.

Or I don't know if they're condominiums or apartments, but seeing that.

Come online.

And then Fairfield Hills, it's a vibrant, hopping place.

Yep,

yep.

We went through that process of trying to get the federal historic tax credit so that we could bring in some kind of developer to make sure that we're using those buildings that are so fantastic but have a few issues with asbestos and lead that need to be dealt with.

So that 830G law is a constant discussion.

You see it all over the newspapers and in media.

So what changes...

if any, would you support to that existing affordable housing laws in Connecticut?

So Vermont does – I mean, I'm not sure 830G has done what it is – I'm not sure.

I'm sure it has not done what it was supposed to do in terms of making sure that there was more equitable housing throughout Connecticut.

It just has not worked.

So I would like to see us go back to the drawing table and start over again.

And Vermont has some pretty good programs in place where they get the communities involved in deciding where the housing should go, getting – community members to be part of that decision-making process.

They provide grants for doing that.

So I think that would be the direction that I would like to see us go in.

Okay,

awesome.

Well, I want to flip it back over to Brian to talk a little bit about infrastructure, traffic, which he loves because he's not an aggressive driver at

Why don't we jump real quickly over into housing development? And so how would you balance that need for additional affordable housing with Newtown's desire to preserve its local character?

I think we're trying really hard to make that balance.

I mean, there's a lot of state legislation that makes it more difficult.

But I think Newtown is doing a pretty good job in the sense that the Taunton Hill Press building has been rehabilitated.

And it's great to see the apartments being advertised.

Or I don't know if they're condominiums or apartments, but seeing that.

Come online.

And then Fairfield Hills, it's a vibrant, hopping place.

Yep,

yep.

We went through that process of trying to get the federal historic tax credit so that we could bring in some kind of developer to make sure that we're using those buildings that are so fantastic but have a few issues with asbestos and lead that need to be dealt with.

So that 830G law is a constant discussion.

You see it all over the newspapers and in media.

So what changes...

if any, would you support to that existing affordable housing laws in Connecticut?

So Vermont does – I mean, I'm not sure 830G has done what it is – I'm not sure.

I'm sure it has not done what it was supposed to do in terms of making sure that there was more equitable housing throughout Connecticut.

It just has not worked.

So I would like to see us go back to the drawing table and start over again.

And Vermont has some pretty good programs in place where they get the communities involved in deciding where the housing should go, getting – community members to be part of that decision-making process.

They provide grants for doing that.

So I think that would be the direction that I would like to see us go in.

Okay,

awesome.

Well, I want to flip it back over to Brian to talk a little bit about infrastructure, traffic, which he loves because he's not an aggressive driver at