HARTFORD, Conn. — Simply having a roof over your head is becoming increasingly expensive in Connecticut as the housing crisis continues and rental rates skyrocket.
“For most people, their monthly rent is their biggest bill that they are paying so for that to 20, 30, 40 percent within just a couple of years, that’s a real pain point,” said Luke Melonakos-Harrison, vice president of the CT Tenant’s Union.
A recent study by consumer review company Consumer Affairs ranked Connecticut as the worst place for renters nationwide. The study is based off data collected through the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Bureau of Labor.
Connecticut fell to the bottom of this year’s list for several reasons, but the top were the high cost of renting and low availability of units. The state's unemployment rate, which currently sits higher than the national 3.9% rate at 4.3%, was another contributing factor.
“You’ve got that combined with a really low vacancy rate so people have few options in apartments to choose from, plus an again housing stock and really inadequate housing code enforcement,” said Melonakos-Harrison.
According to the study, the average rental price for a two-bedroom home in Connecticut is around $1,440 a month. Though the issue has worsened, Melonakos-Harrison said there are potential solutions in the works. The union has pushed for rent stabilization, which would essentially cap the amount that landlords can raise rent. It would also require landlords to prove their expenses have risen high enough to require a rent increase.
That’s something tenants like Morrison Hughes, a resident at Manor House in Bloomfield, believes is fair.
“Our rent has gone up just about every year without any change in landscape, interior of the place,” said Hughes.
Another contributing factor of Connecticut’s poor rating is the average amount of tenants’ income that goes toward rent. The national average sits at 31%, while Connecticut’s is at 32%.
“It’s a strangle hold,” said Julian Alleyne, the Manor House union leader.
“It’s almost like, we can’t eat but at least we have a roof over our head,” continued Alleyne.
Hughes said, “This is our home and we want to live in a decent place. But we basically don’t want to be taken advantage of.”
RELATED: Nearly $9M in brownfield grants to go towards cleaning up, revitalizing Connecticut communities: EPA
Kaelee Collins is a multimedia journalist for FOX61 News. She can be reached at kcollins@fox61.com. Follow her on X, and Instagram.
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