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General Assembly Committee Bill No. 194
January Session, 2021
LCO No. 3558
Referred to Committee on HOUSING
Introduced by:
(HSG)
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A RIGHT TO HOUSING.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2021) (a) It shall be the goal of 1
this state to progressively implement policies that will respect, protect 2
and fulfill a right to affordable, decent, safe and stable housing for every 3
resident of this state. 4
(b) Each state agency, as defined in section 1-79 of the general 5
statutes, and each political subdivision of the state, in implementing the 6
provisions of this section, shall: 7
(1) Consider the right to housing under subsection (a) of this section 8
and the components of such right set forth in subsection (c) of this 9
section when adopting or revising policies, regulations or grant criteria 10
that implicate, impact or affect such right. 11
(2) When implementing such policies, regulations or grant criteria, 12
give priority to assisting households with incomes below fifty per cent 13
of the area median income, as described in section 8-39a of the general 14
statutes. 15
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(3) To the extent practicable, attempt to serve households currently 16
experiencing homelessness or at risk of housing loss and those in the 17
lower range of the income group to which the agency's or political 18
subdivision's programs are directed. 19
(c) The right to housing includes, but is not limited to, the following 20
components: 21
(1) The right to protection from housing loss: This right implicates 22
such governmental programs as those ensuring the legal security of 23
persons and households at risk of losing housing or experiencing 24
homelessness, including eviction prevention programs, legal assistance 25
in evictions, financial assistance, support services and problem-solving 26
counseling. 27
(2) The right to safe housing that meets all basic needs: This right 28
implicates the internal habitability of the home as well as the necessary 29
services and infrastructure to support a healthy and dignified standard 30
of living. 31
(3) The right to housing and affordability: This right implicates 32
governmental programs such as those providing rental assistance, 33
encouraging the maintenance, repair and rehabilitation of existing 34
housing and enlarging the stock of new low-cost housing, all of which 35
ensure the ability to secure and maintain housing without risking access 36
to other essential needs. 37
(4) The right to rehousing assistance for persons and households that 38
have become homeless: This right implicates such governmental 39
programs as those supporting the transition of persons experiencing 40
homelessness to long-term permanent housing that is affordable. 41
(5) The right to recognition of special circumstances: This right 42
implicates the adaptation of governmental programs to ensure 43
accessibility to households facing particular obstacles to finding 44
affordable, decent, safe and stable housing, whether because of race, 45
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religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, 46
unemployment, criminal record, eviction history, family status, source 47
of income, immigration status, cultural traditions, being victims of fraud 48
and financial manipulation or other obstacles. 49
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a right to 50
housing committee to review existing and proposed housing policies 51
and advise on (1) the state's progressive implementation of a right to 52
housing; and (2) gaps and needs of vulnerable populations with regard 53
to access to permanent housing, including, but not limited to, (A) 54
individuals experiencing homelessness, including homeless youth; 55
individuals with disabilities, including physical disabilities and 56
disabilities related to mental health, substance abuse and 57
developmental conditions; (B) individuals with past or current criminal 58
justice system involvement; (C) individuals from historically 59
marginalized racial and ethnic groups; (D) individuals from historically 60
marginalized groups based on sexual orientation, gender identity or 61
gender expression; (E) survivors of sexual violence, domestic violence, 62
dating violence, stalking and sexual trafficking; (F) refugees and 63
immigrants; and (G) veterans. 64
(b) The committee shall consist of the following members: 65
(1) Three appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, 66
one with expertise in homelessness policies and programs, one with 67
expertise in low-income housing policies and programs and one with 68
expertise in matters relating to evictions and housing court; 69
(2) Three appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one 70
with expertise in fair housing protections, one with expertise in the 71
development of low-income housing and one with expertise in, or 72
personal experience with, disability and housing insecurity; 73
(3) Three appointed by the majority leader of the House of 74
Representatives, one with expertise in, or personal experience with, the 75
criminal justice impact on housing insecurity, one with expertise in, or 76
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personal experience with, the impact of race or ethnicity on housing 77
insecurity and one with expertise in, or personal experience with, the 78
impact of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression on 79
housing insecurity; 80
(4) Three appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, one with 81
expertise in, or personal experience with, the impact of sexual violence, 82
domestic violence, dating violence or stalking on housing insecurity, 83
one with experience in, or personal experience with, the impact of sex 84
trafficking and housing insecurity and one with expertise in, or personal 85
experience with, the impact of refugee or immigrant status on housing 86
insecurity; 87
(5) Two appointed by the minority leader of the House of 88
Representatives, one with expertise in, or personal experience with, the 89
impact on veteran status on housing insecurity and one of whom is a 90
current or recent recipient of homeless assistance, low-income housing 91
assistance or assistance in an eviction or housing summary process 92
matter; 93
(6) Two appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, both of whom 94
are current or recent recipients of homeless assistance, low-income 95
housing assistance or assistance in an eviction or housing summary 96
process matter; and 97
(7) The Commissioner of Housing, or the commissioner's designee. 98
(c) Any member of the committee appointed under subdivision (1), 99
(2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) of subsection (b) of this section may be a member 100
of the General Assembly. 101
(d) All initial appointments to the committee shall be made not later 102
than sixty days after the effective date of this section. Appointed 103
members of the committee shall serve for three-year terms which shall 104
commence on the date of appointment and may serve until a successor 105
is appointed. Any vacancy shall be filled by the respective appointing 106
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authority pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. 107
(e) The chairperson of the committee shall be jointly appointed by the 108
speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro tempore 109
of the Senate. Upon appointment of such chairperson, the work of the 110
committee may begin even if all other appointments have not yet been 111
made. The chairperson shall schedule the first meeting of the committee, 112
which shall be held not later than ninety days after the effective date of 113
this section. If appointments under subsection (b) of this section are not 114
made within the sixty-day period specified in said subsection, the 115
chairperson may designate individuals with the required expertise to 116
serve on the committee until appointments are made pursuant to 117
subsection (b) of this section. 118
(f) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the 119
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to housing 120
shall serve as the administrative staff of the committee. 121
(g) The committee shall meet not less than twice per fiscal year. 122
(h) The Department of Housing shall provide presentations and data 123
regarding its implementation of the right to housing at the request of 124
the committee. 125
(i) Not later than July 1, 2022, and annually thereafter, the committee 126
shall submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the joint 127
standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of 128
matters relating to housing, in accordance with the provisions of section 129
11-4a of the general statutes. 130
(j) During any regular or special session of the General Assembly, the 131
committee shall identify and review any proposed legislation impacting 132
the right to housing and may provide testimony on any such proposals 133
given a public hearing before any relevant committees of the General 134
Assembly, providing analysis on the potential impact of the legislation 135
on the right to housing and the vulnerable populations described in 136
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subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this section to preserve such right. 137
Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2021) (a) The Commissioner of 138
Housing shall, within available appropriations, appoint an employee to 139
serve as Housing Advocate within the Department of Housing and 140
provide timely assistance to recipients of Department of Housing 141
services concerning complaints and grievances related to the right of 142
housing outlined by sections 1 and 2 of this act. 143
(b) The Housing Advocate, in consultation with the commissioner, 144
shall: 145
(1) Receive, review, record and attempt to resolve any complaints and 146
grievances regarding the right to housing; 147
(2) Compile and analyze data on such complaints and grievances; 148
(3) Assist residents in understanding their rights under the right to 149
housing established under section 1 of this act; 150
(4) Provide information to the public, agencies, legislators and others 151
regarding the problems and concerns of residents in regard to the right 152
to housing; 153
(5) Analyze and monitor the development and implementation of 154
federal, state and local laws, regulations and policies relating to tenants' 155
rights, affordable housing, homelessness prevention, the impact of 156
criminal justice and summary process involvement on housing 157
accessibility and other issues related to the right to housing; and 158
(6) Provide data and recommendations to the right to housing 159
committee established in section 2 of this act as requested. 160
(c) Not later than July 1, 2022, and annually thereafter, the 161
Commissioner of Housing shall submit a report, in accordance with the 162
provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing 163
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 164
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relating to housing. The commissioner shall report on: (1) The 165
implementation of the provisions of this section; (2) the overall 166
effectiveness of the Housing Advocate position established in 167
subsection (a) of this section; and (3) any additional recommendations 168
for the Department of Housing to implement the right to housing 169
established in section 1 of this act. 170
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 October 1, 2021 New section
Sec. 2 from passage New section
Sec. 3 October 1, 2021 New section
Statement of Purpose:
To establish a right to housing for all residents of the state.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]
Co-Sponsors: SEN. ANWAR, 3rd Dist.
S.B. 194