Bill Text: CT HB05970 | 2013 | General Assembly | Chaptered
Bill Title: An Act Concerning The Power Of Municipal Fair Rent Commissions.
Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 12-1)
Status: (Passed) 2013-05-28 - Signed by the Governor [HB05970 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2013-HB05970-Chaptered.html
AN ACT CONCERNING THE POWER OF MUNICIPAL FAIR RENT COMMISSIONS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 7-148b of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2013):
(a) For purposes of this section and sections 7-148c to 7-148f, inclusive, "seasonal basis" means housing accommodations rented for a period or periods aggregating not more than one hundred twenty days in any one calendar year and "rental charge" includes any fee or charge in addition to rent that is imposed or sought to be imposed upon a tenant by a landlord.
[(a)] (b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, any town, city or borough may, through its legislative body, create a fair rent commission to make studies and investigations, conduct hearings and receive complaints relative to rental charges on housing accommodations, except those accommodations rented on a seasonal basis, within its jurisdiction, which term shall include mobile manufactured homes and mobile manufactured home park lots, in order to control and eliminate excessive rental charges on such accommodations, and to carry out the provisions of sections 7-148b to 7-148f, inclusive, section 47a-20 and subsection (b) of section 47a-23c. The commission, for such purposes, may compel the attendance of persons at hearings, issue subpoenas and administer oaths, issue orders and continue, review, amend, terminate or suspend any of its orders and decisions. The commission may be empowered to retain legal counsel to advise it.
[(b) For purposes of subsection (a) of this section, "seasonal basis" means housing accommodations rented for a period or periods aggregating not more than one hundred twenty days in any one calendar year. ]
(c) Any town, city or borough in which the number of renter-occupied dwelling units is greater than five thousand, as determined by the most recent decennial census, and which does not have a fair rent commission on October 1, 1989, shall, on or before June 1, 1990, conduct a public hearing or public hearings and decide by majority vote of its legislative body whether to create a fair rent commission as provided in subsection (a) of this section. Any such town, city or borough which fails to act pursuant to the requirements of this subsection shall, not later than June 1, 1991, create such fair rent commission.
(d) Any two or more towns, cities or boroughs not subject to the requirements of subsection (c) of this section may, through their legislative bodies, create a joint fair rent commission.