CT renters call for expanded eviction protections
Ginny Monk | CT Mirror
Connecticut tenants revived an effort Thursday to expand protections against no-fault evictions, signaling the start of what will likely be a contentious debate during this year’s General Assembly session over the government’s role in regulating the landlord-tenant relationship.
A joint press conference, held by the Connecticut Tenants Union and Make the Road Connecticut at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford, preceded a meeting of the legislature’s Housing Committee Thursday, where members of both parties expressed reservations but voted to consider legislation seeking to expand tenant protections this session.
Committee leadership said they’re committed to the cause. “If you’re dealing in housing, if you’re dealing in something that people need as a necessity for their lives, you have to do it in a fair and equitable way, and that’s what we’re asking,” Housing Committee Co-chair Rep. Antonio Felipe, D-Bridgeport, said.
Connecticut already bans no-fault evictions for certain groups including senior citizens and people with disabilities. This measure would expand those protections widely to include any renters in buildings with more than five units, meaning landlords would have to provide a reason — such as a lease violation or missed rent — in order to evict someone.