My response to Rep DeGraw’s email: 

Your push to force affordable housing mandates on Connecticut’s local towns was shortsighted and reckless. While the intent may sound noble, your one-size-fits-all approach tramples on the unique character and needs of our communities. Avon and Canton aren’t cookie-cutter suburbs; they’re distinct, with histories, economies, and infrastructure that can’t absorb arbitrary quotas without serious consequences.

You’re ignoring the reality on the ground. Avon and Canton already face strained schools, overstretched public services, and infrastructure that can barely keep up unless our town taxes increase. Developers building high-density housing without addressing these costs risks eroding the quality of life residents have worked hard to maintain. Property taxes are already sky-high—piling on more demand for services will only drive them higher, hitting middle-class families the hardest.

Worse, your top-down mandate dismisses local voices. Zoning boards and town councils exist for a reason: they know their communities better than Hartford ever will. By steamrolling their authority, you’re undermining the very people who keep Avon and Canton running. Have you even bothered to hold public forums or listen to residents’ concerns?? 

Affordable housing is a complex issue that deserves thoughtful, tailored solutions—not heavy-handed edicts. Work with towns to incentivize smart development, like mixed-use projects or targeted subsidies, instead of bullying them into compliance. Respect the people you serve and stop treating our communities like pawns in your policy game.