Housing Committee
JOINT FAVORABLE REPORT
Bill No.: HB-6431
AN ACT CONCERNING HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR JUSTICE-
Title: IMPACTED PERSONS.
Vote Date: 3/11/2021
Vote Action: Joint Favorable Substitute
PH Date: 2/18/2021
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:
Housing Committee
REASONS FOR BILL:
Currently, many justice-impacted individuals face housing insecurity due to discriminatory
practices. This bill would seek to address the intersection that exists between the homeless
population and the justice-impacted population with the goal of increasing housing equity.
RESPONSE FROM ADMINISTRATION/AGENCY:
Tanya Hughes- Executive Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities-
SUPPORTS CONDITIONALLY stating support for the goals of the bill with regards to
helping those with criminal records re-enter society. However, the current bill makes it so
those who commit misdemeanors are grouped together with those who commit felonies with
regards to the 10-year lookback period. This provision could harm those with less serious
offenses for no discernable reason. Furthermore, lines 77-90 of Section 2 lack clarity: it refers
to crimes that would "adversely affect the health, safety, or welfare of other tenants," but only
provides a non-exhaustive list of the kind of crimes included.
NATURE AND SOURCES OF SUPPORT:
Michael Anderson- SUPPORTS stating the denial of housing to an ex-felon makes it more
difficult for them to move on with their life after they are released.
Tara Buchholz- SUPPORTS stating she was formerly incarcerated but was able to secure a
good job with good benefits. However, despite having a job, she had difficult finding stable
housing. Oftentimes the security deposit would be 2-3 times greater than normal, and
landlords would refuse to rent to her based on her criminal record.
Rev. Dr. Shannon Clarkson- SUPPORTS stating discrimination against those with criminal
convictions makes it harder for them to re-enter society and become productive citizens.
Peter Diaz, Jr. - SUPPORTS stating he has a criminal record and has had difficulty finding
housing.
Kathleen Flaherty- Executive Director of the CT Legal Rights Project- SUPPORTS stating a
justice-impacted person's inability to find housing post-incarceration reduces their
opportunities to successfully re-enter society.
Sarah Fox- Director of Policy at the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness-
SUPPORTS stating re-entry is extremely difficult in the best of times. People exiting prsion
face a host of barriers and stigma. They face barriers to housing. Since 2016, 3,5000 people
experiencing homelessness have had an encounter with Department of Corrections.
Sean Ghio- Policy Director of the Partnership for Strong Communities- SUPPORTS stating
that denial of housing due to a criminal record disproportionally affects people of color.
Easing the housing barriers these people face would help put them on the right path to
rehabilitation.
Salum Kazerounian- Staff Attorney at the Connecticut Fair Housing Center- SUPPORTS
stating more than 100 million Americans have some of criminal record. Because of the racial
disparities present in the criminal justice system, people of color are more likely to be affected
by the lack of access to stable housing that many justice-impacted persons face.
Furthermore, the lookback period should be based on the time of the offense, not the
person's release from prison. Finally, research shows that a person is much less likely to
recommit after 5-7 years of the offense, and the lookback period should reflect this reality.
Caroline Lawrence- Transitions Medical-Legal Partnership- SUPPORTS stating the bill is
an important step towards reducing the barriers formerly incarcerated people face.
Anika Lemar- SUPPORTS stating the bill advances housing equity and access.
Gus Marks-Hamilton- Interim Smart Justice Campaign Manager for the ACLU-CT-
SUPPORTS stating all people have a right to housing, regardless of their criminal
background. Research suggest that a criminal offense has little to no impact on housing
incomes.
Robert Michaelman- Program Manager at the Chrysalis Center, Inc. - SUPPORTS stating
formerly incarcerated people face barriers to stable housing. This is caused by both implicit
and explicit biases. Housing is a basic need, and this population needs to be housed as they
have already served the punishment for their crimes.
Allyce Pace, MSW- Housing Coordinator for My Sister's Place for the Young Adult Services-
SUPPORTS stating housing is a basic human need. A person cannot successfully
reintegrate into society if they do not have access to this basic need.
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Nick Pellitta- Law Student Intern at the New Haven Legal Assistance Association-
SUPPORTS stating people with records have trouble acquiring safe and stable housing.
This bill is an important step towards ensuring those with records have productive futures.
Cindy Prizio- Executive Director for One Standard of Justice- SUPPORTS stating the bill
does not go far enough towards ensuring rights for justice-impacted individuals. Recidivism
for those convicted of sex crimes is low, and unnecessarily hampers their ability to find
housing after there are released from prison.
Robert Sharp- SUPPORTS stating people convicted of crimes seeking housing should
receive assistance. Not helping them find housing pushes them towards recommitting crime.
Christie Stewart- Director of Fairfield County's Center for Housing Opportunity- SUPPORTS
stating 50% of those who experience homelessness have a criminal record. This bill would be
a positive step towards decreasing homelessness and increasing housing equity.
Julia Wilcox- CT Community Nonprofit Alliance- SUPPORTS stating justice-impacted
individuals face housing barriers. Nearly half of the people who utilize housing shelters in the
state have criminal records. Homelessness itself can make it hard for these individuals to
comply with the terms of their parole, putting their freedom in jeopardy.
Jay Williams- President of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving- SUPPORTS stating
justice-impacted individuals face many difficulties finding house. From their own evaluation
from the Greater Hartford Reentry Welcome Center, more than half of the people who came
to the center came for housing assistance. Affordable and stable housing is a key tool to
support justice-impacted individuals' futures.
The following from Youth SPEAKS SUPPORT HB 6431, highlighting the difficult that those
with a criminal record face when they go searching for housing. The bill would help these
people get back on their feet after exiting prison:
Michael Grate
Vincent Hatten
Lois Lawson
Reyna Sanabria
Jacqueline Swagerty
NATURE AND SOURCES OF OPPOSITION:
Adam Bonoff- OPPOSES stating landlord's need to have the ability to protect tenants from
dangerous individuals.
Kyle Campbell- OPPOSES stating the bill would make it harder to do business in the state.
Page 3 of 5 HB-6431
Pete D'Amato- OPPOSES stating HUD has already issued guidelines about using criminal
records in tenant screening. Current federal policy works, the state should not interfere.
Joseph D'Ascoli- President of the Connecticut Chapter of the National Association of Housing
and Redevelopment Officials- OPPOSES AS WRITTEN stating while the organization
supports the goal of the bill, public housing authorities must comply with federal law.
Bob De Cosmo- OPPOSES stating the reason people with criminal records cannot find
housing is not due to their records, but due to a lack of job history. This bill would not rectify
the issue and would instead make it harder for landlords to screen tenants.
Naomi Freeman- OPPOSES stating the bill would limit a landlord's ability to protect tenants.
Phil Gerardo- OPPOSES stating he does not want to be forced to rent to people who have
committed serious crimes.
Mike Gregor- OPPOSES stating people who have committed felonies should "face the
consequences of their actions," and that the 10-year lookback period is arbitrary.
David Haberfeld- OPPOSES stating the bill would limit a landlord's ability to screen
prospective tenants. Since 1/3 of those with records reoffend, landlords need to be able to
assess risk.
William Harris- OPPOSES stating the bill would put tenants at risk.
Chad Heindenis- OPPOSES stating people have a right not to live next to a felon.
Robert Jackson- OPPOSES stating the state should not decide whom a landlord rents their
property to.
Paul Januszewski- OPPOSES stating people with a criminal record should not be a
protected class. This bill would make it more costly for landlords to rent out their properties.
Finally, he states that people with records are denied housing because a lack of job history,
not because of the record itself.
Scott Kibbe- OPPOSES stating the bill would make running a business more difficult.
Carl Lupinacci- Greater Bridgeport Property Owners Association- OPPOSES stating the bill
would make it harder for landlords to do business in the state.
Xiong Mo- OPPOSES stating landlords need to be able to screen prospective tenants.
Maureen Monaco- OPPOSES stating her obligation is to protect current tenants.
Carlos Mouta- OPPOSES stating that while he empathizes with the needs of those with
criminal records, his first priority is to provide safe housing to his tenants.
Eric Polinsky- OPPOSES stating the bill would give protection to those convicted of crimes
to the detriment of the landlords and their tenants.
Page 4 of 5 HB-6431
Steve Portera- OPPOSES stating the bill puts landlord's, their family, and their tenants at
risk.
Lorraine Potvin- OPPOSES stating landlords must have the right to protect themselves and
their tenants by choosing who they rent to.
Yinghui Qin- OPPOSES stating the bill would be dangerous for landlords and their tenants.
Tara Ramlal - OPPOSES stating the bill would put existing tenants at risk. The state should
not be giving protections to those convicted of a crime.
Caroline Raynis- OPPOSES stating that while she believes in giving second chances to
those who are convicted of crimes, current HUD guidelines already give tenants some
protection from housing discrimination.
Stephen Rajniak- OPPOSES stating the bill addresses a "non-existent problem" and would
end up putting current tenants at risk.
Jay Roux- OPPOSES stating rents would go up as a result. He then states, "felons create
victims," and are not victims themselves.
John Souza- President of the CT Coalition of Property Owners- OPPOSES stating creating
a protected class for those with criminal records would increase costs for landlords. The
lookback period should be based on the release from prison, not from the crime. Finally,
landlords should receive civil immunity for any injury arising from a crime committed by a
tenant.
James Sun- OPPOSES stating the bill makes it harder for landlords to protect tenants.
Terry Walker- OPPOSES stating the bill would harm landlords.
Julie-Cherie West- OPPOSES stating criminals should not be a protected class; committing
a crime is a choice, not an inherent trait.
Bo Yang - OPPOSES stating landlords need to be able to screen prospective tenants in
order to protect existing tenants.
Lin Yang- OPPOSES stating the bill would be dangerous for vulnerable tenants.
Jen Zakrzewski- OPPOSES stating the bill would increase rent and force landlords to rent
to child molesters.
Reported by: Gabriel Turco Date: 3/29/21
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Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 8-45a
HSG Joint Favorable Substitute: 8-45a
File No. 159: 8-45a
APP Joint Favorable: 8-45a