Proposal: In 1991, the Connecticut legislature passed an important civil rights law, CGS Sec. 8-37cc, which required the Department of Housing and the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority to run their programs in a manner that affirmatively furthers fair housing - in other words – leverage their programs to undo the government’s long and sad history of intentionally promoting segregation. At the time, advocates and supporting legislators understood that such a law would be enforceable in court, like its federal analogue, but as the US Supreme Court restricted civil rights, the affirmatively furthering federal law was stripped of its enforceability and Connecticut courts followed suit. This proposal would amend the fair housing private right of action law, 46a-98a to encompass 8-37cc, empowering it with a private right of action.
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