Hartford Business Journal

8 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | AUGUST 21, 2023 DECISION 2024 | HARTFORD MAYORAL RACE Hartford Democratic mayoral candidate Arunan Arulampalam sits down with the Hartford Business Journal to discuss his vision for the city. HBJ PHOTO | GREG BORDONARO Arulampalam says homeownership, small business support, downtown amenities, and faster permitting could jump-start Hartford's growth By Greg Bordonaro gbordonaro@hartfordbusiness.com A runan Arulampalam has momentum heading into Hartford's Sept. 12 mayoral primary vote, despite having the least political experience of any of his top challengers. The 37-year-old Democratic mayoral candidate is currently CEO of the Hartford Land Bank, a not-for- profit organization backed by state funding to facilitate the conversion of vacant and blighted properties into new homeownership opportunities for local residents. He's running for his first political office. In recent weeks, he's secured the backing of outgoing Mayor Luke Bronin and the Hartford Democratic Town Committee, putting him in a front-runner position. Other leading candidates include state Sen. John Fonfara, who has raised the most money during the campaign through July, and former state senator and retired judge Eric Coleman. Mike McGarry, a former city councilor and publisher, is running as the GOP candidate in the heavily-Democratic city. Key to his economic develop- ment agenda, Arulampalam said, is continuing to invest in downtown and the city's neighborhoods, particularly by promoting more homeownership opportunities. Hartford has the lowest home- ownership rate in the state, at 24%, with few affordable owner-occupied housing units available. By compar- ison, 66% of housing statewide is owner-occupied. The city should try to help convert more of the hundreds of vacant lots it owns into homeownership opportu- nities, and turn as many three-family rental houses into owner-occupied dwellings, Arulampalam said. One way to do that is to hire more housing inspectors and aggressively go after slumlords, particularly from out of state, who are behind on their taxes. If the city can take control of derelict properties through fore- closure, it will have more power in determining who ends up owning them, Arulampalam said. "When you talk about economic development that leads to genera- tional wealth, homeownership is a key part of that," Arulampalam said, adding that he'd also like to create a homeownership and small business fund using recreational cannabis sales tax revenues. The money would incentivize a home purchase or business formation in the city, Arulampalam said. "I think we've had really solid leadership (under Mayor Bronin), and we need to keep a steady hand at the wheel and continue to grow as a city, but make sure that it's growth every neighborhood can feel," he said. Getting things done Another priority is improving the regulatory environment, particularly speeding up the permitting process, Arulampalam said. Developers and other businesses have complained about the some- times long wait times to receive building and other permits. Arulampalam said he'd like to hire more building inspectors and stream- line the permitting process. He said he led a license streamlining effort when he was deputy commissioner of the state Department of Consumer Protection (DCP), which has the second-largest licensing and permit- ting portfolio within state government, behind the public health department. "One thing I did at DCP was I would ask for a weekly update on licensing times," he said. "And sometimes having somebody up the chain who's paying attention, you find week by week, those licensing times go down." He'd also like to create a business advocate position that reports directly to the mayor. The advocate would be the point of entry to City Hall for developers, companies seeking to expand, or startups looking to get off the ground. The advocate would help companies understand the permitting process, and any other regulatory requirements. "You shouldn't need to hire lobby- ists or lawyers to get things done in the city of Hartford," he said. "I'm convinced it's the kind of position that will pay for itself in dividends." Before joining the Land Bank, Arulampalam served as DCP's deputy commissioner from 2019 to 2021. Previously, he was also a lawyer at downtown Hartford law firm Updike, Kelly & Spellacy P.C. Arulampalam, who was born in Zimbabwe and grew up in California, currently lives in the city's Frog Hollow neighborhood in a formerly vacant and blighted house with his wife, Liza Arulampalam, who is a ARUNAN ARULAMPALAM CEO Hartford Land Bank Previous jobs: Deputy Commis- sioner, state Department of Consumer Protection; lawyer at Updike, Kelly & Spellacy P.C. Education: Bachelor's degree, international studies (political economics), Emory University; Quinnipiac University School of Law Age: 37

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