Housing Committee
JOINT FAVORABLE REPORT
Bill No.: HB-5205
Title: AN ACT CONCERNING FAIR RENT COMMISSIONS.
Vote Date: 3/10/2022
Vote Action: Joint Favorable Substitute
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:
Rep. David Michel, 146th Dist.
Rep. Michael A. Winkler, 56th Dist.
Rep. Christine Palm, 36th Dist.
REASONS FOR BILL:
Municipalities currently can create fair rent commissions to control and eliminate excessive
rental charges and carry out certain landlord-tenant statutes. But most towns in CT do not
have fair rent commissions. This legislation seeks to increase the number of CT residents
covered by a fair rent commission by requiring that municipalities above a certain size create
a fair rent commission.
SUBSTITUTE LANGUAGE: (LCO 3073) The population for when municipalities must
establish a fair rent commission was 14,000 in the original bill. The substitute language raised
this threshold to 25,000.
RESPONSE FROM ADMINISTRATION/AGENCY:
Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities Supports stating "Given the current real
estate market, many low-income people, who are disproportionately families with children,
senior citizens, and, due to systemic inequities, people of color, are finding themselves priced
out of the market. Housing rental rates are at an all-time high. Fair rent commissions, which
are often the only practical way for tenants to challenge rent increases, would help to stabilize
the cost of rentals and allow more people into the market By requiring that these
commissions be created in our larger towns, this bill recognizes that fighting against
excessive rental fees is a responsibility we all share. "
NATURE AND SOURCES OF SUPPORT:
Raphael Podolsky and Catharine Freeman, CT Legal Services Supports stating that
tenants have no practical way to challenge rent increases unless they live in a town with a fair
rent commission. This legislation significantly increases the number of residents who will be
able to challenge extraordinary rent increases.
Maurine Crouch Supports stating that evictions are a public health hazard and that with
rising rents we will see an increase in evictions. She believes that this legislation will
decrease the number of evictions.
Amy Eppler-Epstein, Attorney-New Haven Legal Assistance Supports stating that their
experience with the New Haven Fair Rent commission is that these commissions can be fair
and easy to use for both tenants and landlords. She supports the expansion of these
commissions to more towns.
Kathleen Flaherty, Executive Director-CT Legal Rights Project Supports stating that
"Increasing the number of fair rent commissions around the state would enable more tenants
in more towns to have a way to challenge unfair rent increases."
Sara Prael, Supports stating that "Rents are rising across the country, including here in CT
and Fair Rent Commissions are the only practical tool we have available to keep housing
affordable"
Kyle Wark, Supports stating that "Tenants that are living in cities or towns that have a Fair
Rent Commission have a practical form of advocating for themselves on the matter of rent
increases or obtaining a freeze or reduction in rent. Fair Rent Commissions should be
required in our larger cities and towns so that tenants can be equally protected from unfair
rent increases."
Sarah White, CT Fair Housing Center Supports stating that this legislation will give tenants
"a practical mechanism to stop unconscionable rent increases or rent payments". This
legislation is especially important now, when CT has been experiencing substantial rent
increases.
Dave Delohery, CT Mobile Homeowners Alliance, Supports stating that residents of
mobile homes are uniquely vulnerable to predatory corporations buying the land their homes
occupy, as it costs mobile home owners a substantial amount of money to tow their mobile
homes. They support fair rent commissions as a way to give tenants in mobile home parks
more leverage over the park owners.
Alexander Kolokotronis, Supports stating that CT currently has large gaps in tenant
protection based on if your municipality has a fair rent commission, and this will help address
this.
Andrew Wilcox, Madeline Batt, Todd Sample Connecticut Tenants Union members Supports
stating that their experiences with fair rent commissions show that they can prevent unfair
rent increases and prevent exploitation.
Page 2 of 3 HB-5205
Joseph Glennon, Supports
Stacey Faircloth-Punza, Supports
Patricia Ross, Supports
Affordable Housing Commission of the City of New Haven Supports
NATURE AND SOURCES OF OPPOSITION:
Adrianne Angel Opposes- stating that these eviction restrictions fall to heavily on private
owners who are just trying to survive and provide affordable housing.
CT Realtors Opposes- stating that this is an unfunded mandate for cities and towns.
Adam Bonoff Opposes- stating that "fair rent commissions unfairly restrict the free market, do
not consider inflation as to costs, contribute to blight."
Betsy Gara, Executive Director-COST, Opposes- stating that a blanket mandate to adopt fair
rent commissions is not necessary because towns can make these decisions on their own.
And that "Fair Rent Commissions may further discourage such property owners from making
rental properties available, decreasing the number of units available in communities."
Francis Pickering, Executive Director-WestCOG Opposes- stating that this legislation could
create a liability for towns by compelling personal appearance and testimony, like that of a
court. Commissions are required to retain legal counsel and that could come at expense of
local governments. Instead, there should be a statewide hearing and adjudication process
rather than putting this onto towns.
Zachary Mckeon, Senior Legislative Assoc.-CCM Opposes- raising concerns that not all the
towns required to have a fair rent commission will have many renters, have excessive rent
charges, or have the municipal capacity, staff and financial resources to create and operate a
commission.
Lin Yang Opposes- stating that there is no evidence that the existing fair rent commissions
have successfully kept rents low for the residents that they serve, and therefore they should
not be expanded.
Robert Jackson, Opposes
Reported by: William Cromwell Date: 3/21/2022
Page 3 of 3 HB-5205


Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 7-148b
HSG Joint Favorable Substitute: 7-148b
File No. 104: 7-148b
APP Joint Favorable: 7-148b
File No. 586: 7-148b
Public Act No. 22-30: 7-148b