Housing

signed · Connecticut · Senate Jun 4, 2026

SB 518: AN ACT AMENDING A CONVEYANCE OF A PARCEL OF STATE LAND IN THE CITY OF MIDDLETOWN.

This bill amends a 1995 agreement regarding a 10-acre state-owned parcel in Middletown that was previously sold to the Shiloh Baptist Community Development Corporation. The legislation clarifies that the land must be used for moderate-income housing and public recreational facilities by June 30, 2029, while explicitly prohibiting its use for religious teaching or practice. If the corporation fails to begin construction by the deadline or does not comply with federal nondiscrimination requirements, the property will revert to state ownership. The bill also ensures that any existing mortgage debt remains enforceable even if the land reverts to the state.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill mandates moderate-income housing development on state land, directly advancing affordable housing goals while prohibiting religious use.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

signed · Connecticut · Senate Jun 4, 2026

SB 335: AN ACT CONCERNING UTILITY CHARGES FOR RESIDENTIAL DWELLING UNITS.

SB 335 prohibits landlords from charging tenants extra for utilities (like heat or electricity) if the rental unit lacks an individual meter for those services. It directly affects tenants in residential rental properties where utilities are included in rent but not separately metered. The bill amends rental agreement laws to make any clause requiring such payments unenforceable. Landlords must now charge only for utilities when a tenant has a dedicated meter, preventing "pass-through" fees for shared building systems. This takes effect October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingPrevents landlords from charging tenants extra utility fees without individual meters, directly strengthening tenant protections in rental housing affordability.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

signed · Connecticut · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 369: AN ACT ESTABLISHING VARIOUS REQUIREMENTS REGARDING ELEVATORS.

SB 369 requires owners of residential buildings with elevators used by people with disabilities to maintain elevator safety and accessibility. It mandates 24-hour written maintenance notices, adherence to manufacturer standards, installation of approved emergency key safes (Knox boxes), and prompt repairs if elevators are inoperable for more than 48 hours or exceed two outages in 30 days. Owners must post bilingual emergency signage inside/outside elevators and provide annual written tenant notifications about their rights. Violations incur daily fines up to $250, enforced by the Department of Administrative Services, which can order repairs, issue citations, or relocate tenants if safety is compromised. This directly affects residential building owners with qualifying elevators, excluding municipal/state properties and renovation sites.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingMandates elevator safety/accessibility for tenants with disabilities in residential buildings, directly strengthening tenant protections through safety requirements and accessibility standards.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

signed · Connecticut · House May 7, 2026

HB 5288: AN ACT CONCERNING UTILITY CONNECTIONS FOR ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS.

HB 5288 modifies zoning and utility rules for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), commonly called "granny flats" or secondary units on the same property as a main home. The bill requires municipalities to allow ADUs on single-family lots "as of right" (without special approval) and prohibits local governments from charging separate utility connection fees for ADUs connected to the main house's existing utilities. It also bans requirements like separate utility billing, extra parking, or restrictions on tenant relationships. This directly affects homeowners seeking to create ADUs and local governments managing zoning and utility regulations.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRequires municipalities to allow ADUs without special approval and bans separate utility fees, increasing affordable housing supply by facilitating secondary unit development.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

passed · Connecticut · Senate May 1, 2026

SB 256: AN ACT CONCERNING THE PURCHASE OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY BY PRIVATE EQUITY ENTITIES.

SB 256 requires private equity entities (firms that pool investment capital to buy residential properties) to wait 75 days after a single-family or two-family home is listed for public sale before purchasing it. The bill mandates that if the listing price changes, the 75-day clock restarts. Private equity buyers must also provide written notice confirming the waiting period was observed. Violations may result in civil penalties up to $250,000, enforced by the Attorney General. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRestricts private equity purchases to protect tenants from rapid displacement and market disruption, aligning with tenant protection indicators.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

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passed · Connecticut · Senate Apr 30, 2026

SB 272: AN ACT AUTHORIZING MUNICIPALITIES TO ENFORCE CERTAIN BLIGHT REGULATIONS WITHOUT PROVIDING NOTICE OR AN OPPORTUNITY TO REMEDIATE.

SB 272 modifies municipal blight enforcement by removing the requirement for municipalities to provide written notice and a remediation period for properties with three or more blight violations within a 12-month timeframe. It directly affects property owners in municipalities that enforce blight regulations, particularly those with repeated violations. The bill specifies that for such repeat cases, enforcement actions (including civil penalties) can occur immediately without prior notice or opportunity to fix issues. Penalties include daily fines ranging from $150 to $1,000 for residential properties and per-square-foot charges for larger residential or commercial properties, depending on violation history and property size. This change streamlines enforcement for persistent blight issues but maintains the core definitions and standards for blight regulation.

Topics ✗ HousingOpposes HousingBill removes due process for property owners in blight enforcement, weakening property rights (a key housing policy component).90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Housing

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passed · Connecticut · Senate Apr 16, 2026

SB 339: AN ACT ALLOWING LONG-TERM RENTAL OF BEDROOMS IN A SINGLE-FAMILY HOME AS OF RIGHT.

This bill allows homeowners to rent up to three bedrooms in their single-family home for six months or longer without needing special municipal approval. It directly affects single-family homeowners (who can rent bedrooms without permits) and municipalities (which can no longer ban such rentals through zoning rules). The key mechanism amends zoning laws to prohibit local bans on this rental type, making it "as of right" (meaning no special permit is required). This applies only to owner-occupants living in the home, not absentee landlords.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRemoves zoning barriers for homeowners to rent bedrooms, increasing housing supply without municipal approval, directly advancing affordable housing access.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

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passed · Connecticut · Senate Apr 16, 2026

SB 274: AN ACT CONCERNING NONRESIDENT LANDLORD REGISTRATION AND INCREASING PENALTIES FOR REPEAT BUILDING AND FIRE CODE VIOLATIONS.

SB 274 requires nonresident rental property owners (those who don’t live at their properties) to register their current address and identifying information with municipalities. Cities with populations over 25,000 must collect this data from owners or their agents, and owners must update it within 21 days of any address change. The bill also increases fines for repeat violations of building and fire safety codes by property owners, and uses registered addresses to legally serve compliance notices.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingIncreases penalties for building/fire code violations, strengthening tenant safety protections through enforcement.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

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