Substitute House Bill No. 7031 proposes amendments to the affordable housing appeals procedure under section 8-30g of the general statutes. The bill allows all accessory apartments, regardless of whether they are subject to affordability restrictions, to be counted toward the threshold for exemption from the affordable housing appeals procedure. This change eliminates the previous requirement that accessory apartments must be legally approved and subject to specific affordability restrictions for at least ten years. Additionally, the bill removes a provision that excluded accessory apartments built or permitted after January 1, 2022, from being counted in the total number of housing units for the purpose of calculating a municipality's exemption.

The bill aims to increase the number of housing units that qualify for the exemption, potentially leading to cost savings for municipalities by reducing legal expenses associated with affordable housing appeals. The effective date for these changes is set for July 1, 2025. Overall, the bill seeks to facilitate the inclusion of accessory apartments in the affordable housing calculation, thereby promoting the development of more housing options within municipalities.