HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut’s state and federal legislators are taking action against concerns nationwide about skyrocketing rent prices and a rise in evictions.
Thursday, state Sen. Gary Winfield (D-New Haven) introduced Senate Bill 138, which would cap annual rent increases and establish rules for no-fault evictions.
Housing advocates said this is much-needed legislation, but it’s only part of addressing what they call a housing crisis.
“Some folks are having to live in cars because of these rent increases,” said Sarah White, staff attorney for the Connecticut Fair Housing Center. “It's just simply becoming unaffordable.”
White said in the last two years rents across Connecticut are up 20% on average and the state is seeing a record-high number of evictions.
“It's an issue that people are experiencing,” added Winfield. “It's a real issue in Connecticut.”
Winfield’s bill would cap annual rent increases at just 2.5% and ban no-cause evictions, something housing advocates are pushing for.
“This is what tenants are fighting for, is stability and security in their homes,” White said. “This really meets like what we're looking for and now we just have to win it.”
Currently, there is no cap on annual price hikes and existing state law only protects residents 62 and older from no-fault evictions. Winfield hopes to change that.
“You don't wake up and find out you have nowhere to live basically,” he said. “These things seem pretty reasonable and I think it's a conversation the General Assembly should be engaged in.”
This conversation is taking place at the federal level, too.
Connecticut’s U.S. Senators Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal, and U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney signed on to a letter Thursday, urging the Biden administration to, “pursue all possible strategies to end corporate price gouging in the real estate sector and ensure that renters and people experiencing homelessness across this country are stably housed this winter.”
“When the national government speaks, that means something a little bit different than when we speak and I think that’s an important conversation to happen at that level as well,” Winfield continued.
Housing advocates are excited about the legislative process ahead but said this new state bill is only part of the bigger conversation.
“Rent caps are one policy that gets us closer to our goal of housing for all,” said White. “It won't get us all the way there, but it is a big step in the right direction.”
SB 138 is now in the housing committee. Winfield said he’s working on conversations with lawmakers across the aisle and expects ample support, saying this is not a partisan issue.
Emma Wulfhorst is a political reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at ewulfhorst@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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