Housing Committee
JOINT FAVORABLE REPORT
Bill No.: HB-5041
AN ACT CONCERNING HOME ENERGY AFFORDABILITY FOR HOME
Title: RENTERS.
Vote Date: 3/15/2022
Vote Action: Joint Favorable
PH Date: 3/1/2022
File No.:
Disclaimer: The following JOINT FAVORABLE Report is prepared for the benefit of the
members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and
explanation and does not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber
thereof for any purpose.
SPONSORS OF BILL:
Sen. Will Haskell, 26th Dist.
Sen. Saud Anwar, 3rd Dist.
Rep. David Michel, 146th Dist.
Rep. Eleni Kavros DeGraw, 17th Dist.
Rep. Josh Elliott, 88th Dist.
Rep. Christine Palm, 36th Dist.
REASONS FOR BILL: The bill would increase transparency of potential energy costs so that
renters of residential properties can accurately assess the energy cost of a property.
RESPONSE FROM ADMINISTRATION/AGENCY:
Commissioner Katie S. Dykes, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental
Protection-Supports this bill because of the immediate need to provide customers with
transparent information regarding energy costs and what they can expect to pay before they
commit to a new home. This legislation provides and incentive to property owners to improve
their properties energy efficiency to attract new tenants.
Shante Hanks, Deputy Commissioner of Housing-Supports the bill because "Providing
prospective tenants and homeowners with home energy labels will not only help our residents
choose efficient, affordable homes but also encourage landlords and sellers to invest in
efficiency improvements. Affordability includes cost transparency. Families deciding where to
live should have the information they need to make some of the most important financial
decisions of their lives."
Claire E. Coleman, Interim Consumer Counsel, State of Connecticut Office of Consumer
Counsel-Supports this bill because it would provide prospective renters and homeowners
with energy cost information, especially as energy costs in Connecticut are amongst the
highest in the nation.
NATURE AND SOURCES OF SUPPORT:
Gannon Long, Policy & Public Affairs Director, Operation Fuel-Support stating that
"Disclosing energy costs up front would help consumers to choose homes that truly suit their
budgets. The current system passes energy costs to the renter, who is the person without the
agency or resources to seal the building envelope or replace the oil furnace with a heat
pump. This bill would provide incentives for landlords to make these improvements and
provide a better quality of living for renters in our state."
Aaron Goode, New Haven CT-Support with changes:
Add a performance metric for water conservation to the disclosure of energy score.
The 1-100 EPA Water Score is one such available metric.
Strengthen the enforcement mechanism by creating an additional class of penalties
including possible revocation of licensing while also requiring municipalities to set
aside any civil penalties in a fund for energy efficiency programs
Matt Macunas, Legislative Liaison and Associate Director of Regulatory Policy for
Connecticut Green Bank-Supports the bill because it would provide the Department of
Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) with purview over selection of an energy
labeling standard and for landlords, require provision of a home energy label to prospective
tenants of their dwelling units, with qualifications and exceptions; and allow municipalities civil
penalty authority through ordinance adoption
Samantha Dynowski, State Director Sierra Club Connecticut-Supports the bill because it will
help renters understand the full cost of occupying a property, and will incentivize landlords to
improve the energy efficiency of their properties
John Erlingheuser, Director of Advocacy and Community Outreach, AARP Connecticut.
Support
Raphael L. Podolsky, Connecticut Legal Services-Support/w amendment: The amendment
would permit the landlord, in lieu of providing an energy label, to disclose the actual monthly
and annual heat and utility costs over the past year of occupancy
Charles J. Rothenberger Save the Sound-Support stating that "Providing renters with
information related to the energy expenditures that they will face as they consider signing a
lease will (1) provide them with the information that they need in order to make important
housing decisions and manage their budgets and (2) provide an incentive for landlords and
building owners to make prudent investments in building weatherization and energy efficiency
improvements as they seek to attract resident"
James A. Paley Executive Director of Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven-
Support stating that "Renters must pay their home energy bills, but do not have the power to
make efficiency upgrades; building owners have no incentive to make upgrades because
they do not pay the energy bills. This vicious cycle results in inefficient, uncomfortable, and
sometimes unsafe housing conditions.
Melissa Kops, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, LFA Board Advisor, CT Green Building Council Co
Chair, Advocacy Committee-Support, because by not providing transparency about utility
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costs prospective tenants cannot identify which apartments are the most affordable. For
example, "One of our members shared that she recently moved into a 2-bedroom 600 square
foot apartment and last month received an electric bill for $1100. She would have second
guessed her decision to move in had she been aware of the cost of utility bills."
Charles F. Jennes Consultant, Sustainability and Green Building-Support stating that "energy
labeling helps protect vulnerable communities by enabling people to make informed decisions
about the total cost of owning or renting. It helps them avoid situations where energy costs
are unexpectedly higher than a monthly mortgage or rent."
Dirk Larson, Buildings Program Coordinator, City of Portland Bureau of planning and
Sustainability-Support, stating that Portland Oregon has successfully been running a similar
program since 2018.
Henry E. Auer New Haven, CT-Supports stating that
Emily Basham, New Haven CT-Support
Michael Uhly, New Haven, CT-Support
Leonard Wyeth AIA CPHD Representing CT Passive House-Support
Affordable Housing Commission of the City of New Haven-Support
Lynne Bonnett, New Haven CT-Support
Kathleen Fay, New Haven, CT-Support
Peter Millman Member of the Boards of Peoples Actions for Clean Energy and for Eastern
CT-Support
NATURE AND SOURCES OF OPPOSITION:
Adam Bonoff Greater Bridgeport Property Owners Easton CT-Opposes the bill because it
doesn't explain how you get to the score, leaves way to much ambiguity since usage is the
driver and the habits of one tenant has little bearing on the usage of another tenant?
Connecticut REALTOR-Opposes the bill because energy labels require a process that can
take weeks to schedule. With the number of properties this would apply to, it could regularly
delay the availability of potential rental properties by weeks or months
John Souza, President of the Connecticut Coalition of Property Owners-Opposes the bill
because of the $500 fine for landlords not providing an energy label
Reported by: Jason Snukis Date: March 23, 2022
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