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
Congressman Larson is committed to finding innovative ways to create new homes and rental units to address the shortage of quality, affordable housing.
Rep. Larson introduced the bipartisanNeighborhood 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 Actwith 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.
Additionally, Rep. Larson has taken efforts to support affordable housing projects in the district, securing $1.6 million in direct funding to assist with the construction of the Mallory View affordable housing complex in Barkhamsted.
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 is committed to ensuring all residents of our district have access to high-quality, affordable housing, and supports legislation to block landlords from using arbitrary algorithms to artificially inflate rental costs. In 2021, Rep. Larson supported the Protecting Renters from Evictions Act to extend the COVID-19 eviction moratorium that helped keep tenants in their homes.
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.
More on Housing
Rep. Larson co-authored the following op-ed with Rep. Mike Kelly (PA-16) that appeared in The Hill: