Support For Affordable Housing & Cancer Prevention Month

February 23, 2024


The legislative session is picking up steam as my colleagues and I continue to work on new bills in our respective committees. I am dedicated to passing legislation that will address our lack of affordable housing and homeless population. Please watch my testimony below to learn more about proposals to tackle this delicate issue.

A new, Connecticut business is getting an incredible opportunity to attempt reducing our state's carbon footprint while simultaneously providing savings on the energy bill. Keep scrolling to learn more about this promising pilot program.

And, you do not want to miss Emmy Award-Winning TV Host Tamron Hall when she stops by Stamford in a few weeks to talk about her new book. You will find ticket information for that event below.

Here are the sections in today's email:

  • Support for Bills Addressing Affordable Housing
  • Pilot Program Aims To Cut Carbon Footprint & Deliver Energy Cost Savings
  • Cancer Prevention Month
  • Public Hearings Schedule
  • Emmy Award-Winning TV Host Discusses Her Book
 
Support for Bills Addressing Affordable Housing
Connecticut grapples with a trifecta of challenges: a scarcity of affordable housing, exclusionary zoning practices, and a pressing eviction crisis. These interwoven issues have collectively fueled a concerning uptick in homelessness, which may rise exponentially due to the relentless surge in living expenses. This issue affects the entire state since someone is homeless in every community including Stamford.

When we talk about affordable housing, we are talking about lack of options but also predatory practices particularly with big property management companies. Current law dictates that landlords must have a Just Cause in eviction cases for elderly population of age 62 and up. Let’s expand this to everyone, especially when our lowest income tier and retirees are falling to homelessness at an alarming rate in Fairfield County. I support more measures mentioned in the video below but also hope we can come back next year and finally pass a cap on rent hikes.
I support a series of bills addressing lack of housing options and homelessness.
 
Pilot Program Aims To Cut Carbon Footprint
& Deliver Energy Cost Savings
Governor Lamont announced the state is launching a pilot program to help achieve a net zero carbon footprint while delivering a substantial energy cost savings. The program will take place over a year at UConn Health’s Child Care Center building in Farmington.
Under the pilot, Connecticut-based Budderfly will install, deploy, and manage its proprietary Ultra High Performance (UHP) heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system to demonstrate its ability to decarbonize and deliver energy savings for government agencies and organizations.
Click Here To Learn More!
 
Cancer Prevention Month
The Connecticut State Legislature has progressively passed legislation improving our quality of life, and now the House is looking to lead the way for men’s health. February is Cancer Prevention Month, and I am devoted to raising awareness about early screening, testing, and education especially for people of color.
The federal government estimates that nearly two million Americans were diagnosed with cancer (other than non-melanoma skin cancer) in 2023 and that more than 600,000 died from the disease. Research shows that more than 40% of these cases and nearly half of the deaths can be attributed to preventable causes such as smoking, excess body weight, physical inactivity, and excessive exposure to the sun, among others.
According to the CDC, the most common form of cancer for men in our state is prostate cancer. The rate in Connecticut has increased by 5.3% from 2016 to 2020. Over that span, doctors diagnosed an average of 2,844 men with the disease. Since then, the data is not as conclusive due to the pandemic.
7 Ways To Lower Your Risk of Prostate Cancer
I am also concerned about colon cancer because we need more funding to help patients cover the cost of transportation to their diagnostic test and the cost of the preparation materials. Thankfully, the rate of colorectal cancer has dropped by nearly half in the past 20 years.
 
Remember, check-ups and testing lead to early detection and early intervention. Trust your doctors, you body, and your family history.
 
Public Hearings Schedule
 
Emmy Award-Winning TV Host Discusses Her Book

You have an opportunity to meet author and two-time Emmy Award-winning TV host and journalist Tamron Hall. She will be at Ferguson Library on Thursday, March 14 from 6:00 P.M. - 7:30 P.M. to break down her latest novel Watch Where They Hide.

In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, we meet journalist Jordan Manning as she delves into the case of a mother in danger and uncovers a sinister web of secrets that could either lead to the missing woman or put Jordan in the crosshairs of her abductors. This highly anticipated sequel to As the Wicked Watch, Hall once again dives into the world of suspense and mystery with a page-turning novel.
Tickets are $35 for general admission and $30 for Friends members. A ticket includes a copy of Watch Where They Hide.
Click Here To Get Your Tickets