Who would a fair rent commission benefit in Norwich?
Soon, there will be a way for tenants and landlords to arbitrate rent issues in Norwich.
Connecticut requires all municipalities with 25,000 or more residents, including Norwich, to create a fair rent commission by July 1 to help resolve rent disputes. The Norwich City Council will hold a public hearing on Monday as part of its June 5 meeting, according to the May 15 minutes.
Renters who experience an “exorbitant” increase in rent in Norwich currently lack recourse, although what is considered an unreasonable rent increase isn’t clearly defined in the city. The commission, which will have an equal number of tenants and landlords as members, will mediate discussions, and determine a course of action if a rent is unfair, Norwich Human Services Director Kate Milde.
“It’s invaluable,” she said.
The Uncas Health District does house inspections as part of its duties, so the fair rent commission would be another resource it can refer people to. Rents have increased across the board in recent years, while other expenses have also increased for renters, Director of Health Patrick McCormack said.
“Folks can’t sustain those increases,” he said.
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The commission can make people in the community aware of other resources, including the Thames Valley Council for Community Action’s housing programs for renters, and HUD’s Healthy Homes Program for landlords, McCormack said.
An equal footing for tenants and landlords
The commission gives equal footing for renters and landlords, Milde said.
“It gives tenants a platform to advocate for themselves,” she said. “It gives landlords an opportunity to defend their position as a landlord, and the circumstances that are affecting the changes in rent they may be implementing.”
Landlords need to be able to collect rent and to make their own living, and also maintain the safety and habitability, McCormack said.
“We want to make sure the homes are kept in a safe and habitable condition, so it reduces the number of complaints we get and hopefully provide for a better quality of life for people who do rent,” he said.
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Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development standards will be kept in mind with the fair rent commission’s decisions, Milde said.
With the deadline approaching, consulting with the Connecticut Center for Housing Equity and Opportunity has helped, including with the language of the ordinance to make fair rent commissions across the state consistent, Milde said.
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City involvement and funding
City entities involved in developing the fair rent commission include Human Services, Uncas Health District, Planning and Neighborhood Services and Community Development, along with City Manager John Salomone, and Corporation Consul Michael Driscoll, Milde said.
Salomone suggested allocating $6,000 to help fund the commission in the 2023-2024 proposed budget, to help fund legal oversight the commission might need, Milde said.
When other municipalities in the state started their fair rent commissions, there was a spike in cases, but things leveled off after some time, McCormack said.
This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Norwich fair rent commission landlord tenant issue resolution
