Housing
Congressman Larson grew up in the public housing project of Mayberry Village in East Hartford. He intimately understands the need to ensure that all residents of Connecticut’s First District have access to quality, affordable housing. Throughout his time in Congress, Rep. Larson has supported legislation to protect tenants from exploitative landlords, while also securing funding to increase access to affordable housing in Central and Northwestern Connecticut. From demanding protections for tenants to investing in new, affordable homes, Rep. Larson will continue to advocate for access to high-quality housing for all.
Building More Affordable and Quality Housing
CRep. Larson knows we need to take bold action to drive down the cost of housing, and he has introduced legislation to increase its supply, with a focus on the challenges and opportunities in the First Congressional District.
Rep. Larson introduced the bipartisan Neighborhood Homes Investment Act to create and preserve 500,000 housing units across the country. This legislation would increase the supply and quality of housing, making it easier and more affordable for more Americans to become homeowners. Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam introduced a resolution in support of the bill that was adopted at the annual U.S. Conference of Mayors gathering. Reps. Larson and Mike Kelly (PA-16) authored an op-ed in The Hill calling for passage of their bipartisan bill to tackle the affordable housing crisis
As many businesses moved to hybrid work models during the COVID-19 pandemic, downtowns in cities like Hartford saw dramatic changes, including record building vacancies. Rep. Larson introduced the bipartisan Revitalizing Downtowns and Main Streets Act with his colleagues to support the conversion of many unused office spaces into reliable housing options, expanding access to quality, affordable housing for residents and spurring economic growth.
Rep. Larson is also taking direct action to build affordable housing in Connecticut:
In 2023, the Congressman brought back $750,000 for the conversion of East Hartford’s Church Corners Inn building into high quality, affordable housing for low-income individuals and veterans.
In 2024, Rep. Larson secured $1.6 million in direct funding to assist with the construction of the Mallory View affordable housing complex in Barkhamsted, allowing for the creation of the town’s first affordable housing project.
That same year, the Congressman delivered another $500,000 to the state to help rehabilitate and build new affordable houses in Blue Hills at the site of the former Westbrook Village public housing complex, creating new opportunities for high quality homeownership.
A lifelong advocate for those in need, Rep. Larson remains committed to ensuring that every resident of the district finds a quality home to call their own.
Clay Arsenal
Following years of neglect by a notorious slumlord, Emmanuel Ku, residents of Hartford’s Clay Arsenal Renaissance Apartments organized an effort to improve their living conditions. The roughly 150 units owned and managed by Ku around North Main Street were infested with roaches, mice, and mold, threatening the health and safety of residents and their children. Ku hid from tenants, making himself inaccessible, all while receiving local tax incentives and federal subsidies from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
After Rep. Larson heard from residents and local advocacy groups, he brought then-HUD Secretary Ben Carson to Clay Arsenal to meet with impacted tenants and hear about their experiences firsthand. The federal government terminated Ku’s contract and helped residents find Section 8 voucher-eligible housing elsewhere. Rep. Larson continued to advocate for the tenants of Clay Arsenal, sending multiple letters to HUD requesting oversight reforms and assistance to improve the quality of the properties that Ku let deteriorate. In 2021, HUD and an outside property development group reached an agreement to finally refurbish Ku’s former properties, enabling former residents to move back to their homes.
Protecting Tenants
Rep. Larson has a history as a fierce advocate for the rights of tenants, protecting them from abuse from landlords and slumlords. From Washington D.C., the Congressman has backed legislation to block landlords from using arbitrary algorithms to artificially inflate rental costs, and supported theProtecting Renters from Evictions Act to extend the COVID-19 eviction moratorium that helped keep tenants in their homes. Rep. Larson has also brought back federal dollars to battle unfair housing practices, securing $626,000 in federal funding for the Connecticut Fair Housing Center in 2013. When exploitative landlords take advantage of tenants in the First District, Congressman Larson steps up for the fight.
Rep. Larson continues to advocate for better conditions for residents who receive federal housing assistance. Just this year, Congressman Larson secured almost $5 million to fund refurbishment projects at affordable and senior living complexes in Windsor, East Windsor, and Southington. In 2024, Rep. Larson brought nearly $11 million to the First District through HUD’s Public Housing Repair Fund to help 12 other towns in the district renovate and improve their public housing units. In the face of rising inflation, Congressman Larson announced over $120 million in increased funding for housing voucher recipients, ensuring that their federal assistance was adjusted to ensure that they could stay in their homes.
Addressing Homelessness
As a community, we have a responsibility to help those who cannot afford shelter and live on our streets. Some have severe mental illnesses, others battle drug and alcohol addictions, but many of our homeless simply have nowhere to live. Rep. Larson has consistently supported funding to help shelters and homeless outreach organizations bring the homeless into safe environments that respect their dignity.
In 2008 and 2009, after the housing market collapsed and millions of families nationwide lost their homes, the Congressman secured $880,000 for Mercy Shelter to expand its facilities and increase its homeless intake capacity, and another $285,000 for the East Hartford Housing Authority to renovate and improve their facilities. When Congressional earmarks were reinstated in 2021, Congressman Larson once again secured $500,000 for Mercy Shelter to rehabilitate their shelters and continue providing quality care and outreach to the homeless in Northern Connecticut. Most recently, Rep. Larson joined Governor Lamont and the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness to speak out against President Trump’s executive order to criminalize homelessness.
Rep. Larson has used his position in Congress to fight for funding for our nation’s best homeless prevention and outreach programs. The Congressman has supported appropriations requests for programs that include:
TheHousing Counseling Assistance program, which provides technical assistance to families to increase homeownership and prevent foreclosures.
Emergency Housing Vouchers, which fund shelters for those at risk of homelessness or experiencing a crisis.
TheVeteran Affairs Servicing Purchase program, which helps veterans avoid foreclosures by enabling the VA to purchase a borrower's loan and provide a more affordable interest rate.
TheMcKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grant program, which provides funding for homeless shelters to conduct outreach and care for those living on our streets.
More on Housing
Rep. Larson co-authored the following op-ed with Rep. Mike Kelly (PA-16) that appeared in The Hill:
A federal bill that would increase affordable homeownership opportunities in distressed communities is coming back into the spotlight as a Connecticut lawmaker works to gain its approval.
