Proposed Hamden ordinance would allow renters to bring consolidated complaints against landlords

Jan. 5—HAMDEN — The Legislative Council is considering an ordinance that would empower tenants unions and allow groups of renters to file consolidated complaints with the Fair Rent Commission.

The legislation, an amended version of Hamden's Fair Rent Ordinance, was presented during a December council meeting, where a dozen members of the public spoke in favor of it.

"Protecting tenant unions and enabling tenants to work together to expose and redress systemic issues at their complexes is an important first step the town can take to stand up for its actual residents rather than the corporate landlords who are squeezing all of us dry," said Luke Melonakos-Harrison, an organizer who works with the Hamden Tenants Union.

Paul Boudreau, a founding member of the union, asked the council to pass the amended ordinance as quickly as possible. He hoped it might help the town attract local landlords with a stake in the community, he said.

"We have to do this for the 9,000 renters here in Hamden," he said. "They're all members of this community. They're all beautiful members of this community."

Two tenants told the council about the financial burdens they face due to rent increases.

"The difference (in rent) in the past two years is more than a car payment a month ... and we still need a place to live and a vehicle to get around," said Gina Bianchi, who has a 17-year-old daughter.

The cost of groceries, utilities and gas on top of rent have "made it next to impossible for a single parent to survive while working," she said. And "I'm trying to work magic with a disability check of a third of my salary and unfortunately no child support."

Another woman said she has lived in Hamden for a year-and-a-half and loves it, but she is afraid she will not be able to afford to stay.

"I would like this to be my permanent home, and I'm afraid that I won't be able to if I don't have a way to protect myself from exploitative corporations," she said, calling for the Fair Rent Commission "to have some teeth and to hold these companies accountable."

Initially sparked by the unionization of tenants in one of the town's largest housing complexes, Seramonte, battles between Hamden tenants and their landlords have come into focus in recent months.

While most issues initially revolved around Seramonte, renters from elsewhere have begun to get involved. The Seramonte Tenants Union in fall expanded to include residents of other buildings, rebranding itself as the Hamden Tenants Union.

One of the union's major initiatives has been to fight rent increases. It has helped renters file complaints against landlords with the Fair Rent Commission, which had not met for several years before it reconvened in September.

Legislative Council Member Sarah Gallagher, D-4, presented the fair rent ordinance to her colleagues during the Dec. 20 meeting. One purpose of the amended ordinance, she said, is to codify processes that have been adopted by the new commission.

"We also wanted to allow tenants to come together and bring their complaints together," Gallagher said. "We found through the work of the current Fair Rent Commission that it's really hard to come together to bring a fair rent complaint."

The process would allow tenants to lend support to each other, she said, adding that the ordinance also acknowledges that tenants can have union representatives present during the complaint process.

Other amendments would increase the size of the commission from five to seven members, give the commission the power to assess fines in accordance with state statute and expand the definition of rent to include costs such as parking and pet fees, according to Gallagher.

The ordinance is currently being considered by the Legislative Council's Human Service's Committee, which will decide whether to forward it to the full council for approval.

meghan.friedmann@hearstmediact.com

___

(c)2023 the New Haven Register (New Haven, Conn.)

Visit the New Haven Register (New Haven, Conn.) at www.nhregister.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.