Raised Bill No. 6588, introduced in the General Assembly during the January Session of 2023, is an act concerning rent stabilization. The bill sets forth new regulations for rent increases during tenancies, excluding week-to-week tenancies. It prohibits landlords from increasing rent during the first year of tenancy, without providing a 90-day written notice after the first year, by more than 4% plus the consumer price index during any twelve-month period, and during any public health emergency and for one year following its expiration. The consumer price index is defined as the twelve-month average change for all urban consumers in the northeast region as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in October of each year. The Commissioner of Housing is tasked with calculating the maximum annual rent increase percentage by November 1st each year and posting it on the Department of Housing's website.

The bill also outlines exceptions to these regulations, stating that landlords are not subject to the rent increase limit if the dwelling unit's first certificate of occupancy was issued less than fifteen years from the date of the rent increase notice, if the landlord is charging reduced rent as part of a government program or subsidy, or if the Commissioner of Housing has not calculated and posted the maximum annual rent increase percentage. Landlords who violate these provisions are liable to the tenant for an amount equal to three months' rent plus actual damages. Additionally, the bill amends Section 47a-1 of the general statutes, effective October 1, 2023, to include the new provisions of this act in the definitions used in the chapter. The purpose of the bill is to restrict landlords from increasing rent beyond a certain amount annually, require a 90-day notice for rent increases, and provide tenant protections during public health emergencies.

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