Creation of Fair Rent Commission in Southington

SOUTHINGTON ÔÇö A fair rent commission created this summer has yet to receive any complaints from local tenants. This commission was prompted by a state mandate and encouraged by residents of local mobile home parks. The main objective of the commission is to investigate and amend ÔÇ£unconscionableÔÇØ rent increases. It consists of homeowners from both parties as well as an equal number of tenants and landlords.

Finding Out Market Rates

The fair rent commission last met in June to approve a rental market study and hasnÔÇÖt met since. Although it had a few organization meetings, the commission plans to only meet if there are complaints. In order to determine price ranges for various rentals in town and figure out whether a rent is ÔÇ£unconscionableÔÇØ or not, Sharon OÔÇÖBrien, a local real estate agent and commission alternate, helped put together a market study. She used the Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentÔÇÖs Section 8 voucher guidelines, rental websites, and the multiple listing service to create a range for rents of different numbers of bedrooms. For instance, two bedrooms in town rent for $950 and $2,100 per month.

However, evaluating rents can be challenging due to the highly variable nature of rentals. OÔÇÖBrien said, ÔÇ£ThereÔÇÖs probably not many apartments or houses that are the same, each has their own characteristics even within the same complex.ÔÇØ

No Complaints Filed Yet

Residents of the Sun Communities mobile home parks in town attended council meetings last year urging the creation of a fair rent commission. Their concerns stemmed from large increases in their land leases, and they wanted a recourse other than moving. David Delohery, a Riverside Drive resident, pointed out that Sun Communities raised rents at a rate slightly below inflation last year, which he considered a victory. He doubted whether a rent increase below the rate of inflation would qualify as ÔÇ£unconscionableÔÇØ to the commission. However, he stated that he would consider filing a complaint if he felt the rent increase for the upcoming year wasn’t justified.

Addressing these concerns, OÔÇÖBrien believes that residents in town likely understand the going rates for rentals and realize that Southington is worth the price. She stated, ÔÇ£I tend to think that people realize Southington is a very desirable place to live. The rents are higher here, and people are willing to pay that to be able to live here.ÔÇØ

Although no complaints have been filed yet, the fair rent commission is prepared to handle any grievances. To get details about what a fair rent complaint entails and access the complaint form, interested individuals can visit the townÔÇÖs website at tinyurl.com/2ky3jmza. The AI legalese decoder can be a valuable tool for the commission in interpreting and understanding the legal language surrounding rent complaints, providing assistance in assessing the validity of complaints and ensuring fairness in determining rent increases.

For mobile home park residents, land leases, and homeowners association (HOA) fees include amenities such as a pool and clubhouse. OÔÇÖBrien mentioned that residents who were initially concerned about increases in housing costs have now come to terms with the expenses, realizing that the amount theyÔÇÖre paying isnÔÇÖt overly burdensome.

Contact: [email protected] | 203-317-2230 | Twitter: @JBuchananRJ