CITY OF NORWALK FAIR RENT COMMISSION JULY 11, 2018

CITY OF NORWALK FAIR RENT COMMISSION JULY 11, 2018 ATTENDANCE: Patricia Genuario, Chair; Mary Geake, Vice Chair; John Church; Samuel Pride; Peter Halladay; Fran Collier-Clemmons; Sonja Oliver STAFF: Anna Keegan, Acting Director 1. CALL TO ORDER Ms. Genuario called the meeting to order at 7:30PM and noted the members were in attendance listed above. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS a. May 2, 2018 On page 1, under the attendance change Price to Pride On page 1, under the attendance change Vice Chairman to Vice Chair On page 1, change on-goin to on-going On page 4, change Ms. Geake Pride to Ms. Geake On page 5, change Witherspoon Pride to Witherspoon On page 5, change Ms. Geake Pride to Ms. Geake On page 8, change Halloday to Halladay On page 9, under new business change old to new **MR. CHURCH MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS AMENDED. ** MS. GEAKE SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION PASSED WITH FIVE (5) IN FAVOR AND TWO (2) ABSTENTIONS (MS. COLLIER-CLEMMONS AND MS. OLIVER Page 1

3. CHAIR S REPORT Ms. Genuario read her report as follows: Good evening, Commissioners and Staff. Thank you for attending the July meeting tonight. Despite the weather related challenges during that week, I am hopeful that you all enjoyed a nice July 4 th holiday with family and friends. Along with the links for the agenda for the meeting tonight and the minutes from our May 2 nd meeting, you should have been able to download the links for articles published in The Norwalk Hour. The first regarding our former Director, Adam Bovilsky, who was tapped to head up the Norwalk Housing Authority. We will miss his guidance, knowledge, insight, compassion and continued support of the Commission, staff and members. We all wish him well in his new position! Also linked was the article regarding the plan to merge a number of departments, Commissions and personnel employed by the. In the meantime, although not finalized it has stirred up controversy, both pro and con and interesting discussions with regard to maintaining the current structure within the city government. As I have no further business to discuss, I will ask Anna to present the Staff report. 4. DIRECTOR S REPORT Ms. Keegan read her report as follows: Good evening and thank you for coming out this evening. Statistics Departmental statistics are attached to this report. In May and June, 70 of the Department s 83 intakes were related to the, and 438 of the Department s 451 follow-up contacts were related to the Fair Rent Page 2

Commission. Three new Fair Rent complaints were filed since our last meeting. End of Fiscal Year Statistics Report In the 2017-18 fiscal year, we received 22 new Fair Rent complaints, a decrease from the 30 complaints received in the 2016-17 fiscal year, although many of the 30 complaints in 2016-17 were related to the same apartment complex. This past year, of the Department s 3,207 follow-up contacts, 2,894 were related to business. This is a significant increase from the 2,111 follow-up contacts related to business in the 2016-17 fiscal year. 2017-18 Fair Rent statistics of interest: Who contacts us? 70% of intakes are from tenants 15% of intakes were from landlords 15% of intakes were from landlords 14% of intakes were from others (often family/friends or people involved in condos or co-ops) 16% of intakes were from people who require a translator (largely Spanishspeaking individuals) 14% of intakes were related to properties that are outside of Norwalk What do they ask about? 33% of intakes included questions about eviction ( summary process ) 20% of intakes included questions about repair rights and responsibilities 23% of intakes included questions about security deposits 20% of intakes included questions about lease terms or what a landlord can require of a tenant 16% of intakes included questions about the Norwalk Housing Authority 11% of intakes included questions about an increase in rent 6% of intakes included questions about utilities 4% of intakes resulted in formal complaints being filed 50% of intakes included questions about other matters, including abandonment, landlord entry into a tenant s unit, illegal rooming houses, and Page 3

sometimes they are unique questions that we have never encountered before. Commission Members and Departmental Staff As you are no doubt aware, our former Director, Adam Bovilsky has accepted a position as the Executive Director of the Norwalk Housing Authority. We wish him well at his new position, and will likely have many opportunities to collaborate with him in the future. Page 4

We currently have two vacancies on our Alternate list of Commissioners. CMLS Report I have attached our quarterly Connecticut Multiple Listing Service survey to this report. As you can see, comparing the average values in the April-June time periods, the price of one bedroom units has gone up as compared with the past few years, and is up $296 from when we started keeping track in 2011. The average price of tow bedroom units which had gone down slightly over the past few years is now back up to above its previous level, and is up by $223 since we stated keeping track in 2011. Page 5

Please note that these are average values and do not indicate the value of any particular unit or any trend in any particular neighborhood. Please also note that these numbers do not include rentals that do not utilize real estate Page 6

agents, such as those rented by the owner through craigslist/zillow or directly through the rental office of a complex. 5. REVIEW, DISCUSSION, AND MOTIONS ON OPEN CASES Ms. Keegan presented the following new cases and recommendations for hearing or action. 1742-17 Elm St. 1 st Floor. Tenant pays $1,415 per month for a two bedroom apartment. Landlord is requesting an increase of $113 per month. Tenant alleges that the rent increase is unfair because landlord will not pay tenant back for repairs tenant made, and landlord does not make needed repairs. 7/19/17 Complaint filed 7/20/17 ATK inspects 9/8/17 Complaint and Inspection report sent to LL 9/15/17 Negotiations on-going 1/31/18 Verbal agreement reached 3/2/18 Negotiations on-going Staff recommends no action. ** MS. COLLIER-CLEMMONS MOVED TO TAKE NO ACTION ON CASE NO.1742-17 ** MS. OLIVER SECONDED THE MOTION. 1746-17 24 Pulaski St., Apt. 2. Tenant pays $1,240 per month for a twobedroom apartment. Tenant alleges that the rent is unfair because of repair issues including the ceilings, shower, electric, and window screens. 8/23/17 Complaint filed Page 7

8/28/17 ATK inspects 8/31/17 Negotiations on-going 9/12/17 Complaint and Inspection Report sent to LL 4/4/18 Complaint scheduled for Hearing 5/9/18 Hearing 5/29/18 Hearing 6/6/18 Decision sent to Landlord and Tenant. Staff currently recommends no action because there is still escrow in dispute and thus far no appeals have been filed. ** MS. OLIVER MOVED TO TAKE NO ACTION ON CASE NO.1746-17 ** MS. COLLIER-CLEMMONS SECONDED THE MOTION. 1747-17- 94 Washington St., Apt. 27. Tenant pays $1,350 per month for an efficiency apartment. Tenant alleges that the rent is unfair because the landlord does not repair clogged sinks in the kitchen and bathroom, and charges $50 over what her voucher will pay. 8/24/17 Complaint filed 8/28/17 ATK inspects 9/8/17 Negotiations on-going 9/13/17 Complaint and Inspection Report sent to LL 6/20/18 Verbal agreement reached 6/28/18 Verbal agreement reached 6/28/18 Settlement Agreement signed 6/28/18 Complaint Withdrawal filed Staff recommends vote to close the case. ** MS. OLIVER MOVED TO CLOSE CASE NO. 1747-17 ** MR. CHURCH SECONDED THE MOTION. ** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY Page 8

1750-17 77 North Water St. Apt. 204. Tenant pays $1,960 per month for a one-bedroom apartment. Landlord is requesting an increase of $340 per month. Tenant alleges that the increase is unfair. 10/2/17 Complaint filed 10/10/17 ATK inspects 10/31/17 Complaint and Inspection report sent to Landlord 10/31/17 Negotiations on-going 1/26/18 Motion to Dismiss filed 4/20/18 Hearing Scheduled for June 6, 2018 5/10/18 Verbal agreement reached 5/30/18 Settlement Agreement signed 5/30/18 Complaint Withdrawal filed Staff recommends to close the case after an in person mediation a settlement agreement was reached. ** MS. OLIVER MOVED TO CLOSE CASE NO.1750-17 ** MR. PRIDE SECONDED THE MOTION. 1753-17 26 Belden Ave, Apt. 1210 Tenant pays $1,900 per month for a 1 bedroom apartment. Landlord is requesting an increase of $1,691 per month. Tenant alleges that the increase is unfair. 11/30/17 Complaint filed 12/21/17 Negotiations on-going 4/12/18 Verbal agreement reached 6/7/18 Settlement Agreement signed Staff recommends to close the case. ** MS. OLIVER MOVED TO CLOSE CASE NO. 1753-17 ** MS. COLLIER-CLEMMONS SECONDED THE MOTION. Page 9

** MR. CHURCH MOVED TO AMEND THE AGENDA AND REMOVE CASE NO. 1754-17 FROM THE AGENDA. ** MS. COLLIER-CLEMMONS SECONDED THE MOTION. 1755-17 142 East Ave., Apt. 302A. Tenant pays $2,950 per month for a two bedroom apartment. Landlord is requesting an increase of $$75 per month. Tenant alleges that the rent is unfair because of excessive heating charges and excessive charges for repairs to a door. 12/14/17 Complaint filed 12/15/17 ATK inspects 12/21/17 Negotiations on-going 2/22/18 Inspection report sent to Landlord 7/11/18 Verbal agreement reached Staff recommends no action. ** MS. COLLIER-CLEMMONS MOVED TO TAKE NO ACTION ON CASE NO. 1755-17 ** MR. HALLADAY SECONDED THE MOTION. 1757-18 8 Union Ave., Apt. B3. Tenant pays $750 per month for a one bedroom apartment. Landlord is requesting she move to another unit and pay $1,400 per month for that apartment. 1/30/18 Complaint filed 2/7/18 ATK inspect 2/22/18 Negotiations on-going 2/23/18 Complaint and Inspection Report sent to Landlord. Staff recommends no action. ** MS. OLIVER MOVED TO TAKE NO ACTION ON CASE NO. 1757-18 ** MR. PRIDE SECONDED THE MOTION. Page 10

** MS. GEAKE MOVED TO AMEND THE AGENDA AND ADD CASE NO. 1758-6 TO THE AGENDA. **MS. COLLIER-CLEMMONS SECONDED THE MOTION. 1758-18 6 Myrtle St., Apt. 2. Tenant pays $2,300 for a 4 bedroom apartment. Tenant alleges that the rent is unfair in light of repair issues including an unsafe deck, insufficient heat in the bedroom and bathrooms, and delays in making other repairs. 2/13/18 Complaint filed 2/14/18 ATK inspects 3/14/18 Complaint and Inspection report sent to Landlord 3/15/18 Negotiations on-going Staff recommends no action. ** MS. COLLIER-CLEMMONS MOVED TO TAKE NO ACTION ON CASE NO. 1758-18 ** MS. OLIVER SECONDED THE MOTION. 1759-18 18 Ferris Ave., Apt. 1 Tenants pay $750 per month for a one bedroom apartment. Landlord is requesting an increase of $100 per month. Tenants allege that the increase is unfair in light of on-going repair issues including issues with the bathroom ceiling and wall, and kitchen faucet and carpeting, and high electrical bills. 2/14/18 Complaint filed 2/20/18 Negotiations on-going 2/22/18 ATK inspects 3/14/18 Complaint and inspection report sent to Landlord. Staff recommends no action. Page 11

** MS. OLIVER MOVED TO TAKE NO ACTION ON CASE NO. 1759-18 ** MR. CHURCH SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION PASSED WITH SIX (6) IN FAVOR AND ONE (1) ABSTENTION (MR. HALLADAY) 1760-18 2 Park St., Suite 1A. Tenants pay $1,900 per month for a onebedroom apartment. Tenants allege that the rent is unfair because it is more than what is being charged for larger units in the building, harassment by landlord and issues with plowing. 3/19/18 Complaint filed 3/22/18 ATK inspects 3/28/18 Complaint and Inspection Report sent to Landlord 4/4/18 Negotiations on-going Staff recommends no action. ** MS. OLIVER MOVED TO TAKE NO ACTION ON CASE NO. 1760-18 ** MR. PRIDE SECONDED THE MOTION. 1761-18 93 Richards Ave. Apt. 203. Tenants pay $2,018 for a two bedroom apartment. Tenants allege that the rent is unfair in light of the list of repairs that need doing and because other 2 bedroom units in the building are rented for $1,600. 4/9/18 Complaint filed 4/11/18 ATK inspects 6/5/18 Complaint and Inspection Report sent to Landlord 6/21/18 Negotiations on-going Staff recommends no action. ** MS. COLLIER-CLEMMONS MOVED TO TAKE NO ACTION ON CASE NO. 1761-18 ** MS. OLIVER SECONDED THE MOTION. Page 12

** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY 1762-18 10 Union Ave., Apt. F1 Tenant pays $800 per month for a 1 bedroom apartment. Tenant alleges that the landlord is requesting an increase of $600 per month. Tenant alleges that the increase in unfair. 4/25/18 Complaint filed 4/27/18 ATK inspects 5/3/18 Negotiations on-going 6/7/18 Complaint and Inspection Report sent to Landlord Staff recommends no action. ** MR. PRIDE MOVED TO TAKE NO ACTION ON CASE NO. 1762-18 ** MS. OLIVER SECONDED THE MOTION. ** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY 6. PRESENTATION OF NEW CASES 1763-18 4 Garner St., 2 nd Floor. Tenant pays $425 per month for an apartment, landlord is requesting an increase of $1,435 per month. Tenant alleges this increase is too much. 5/8/18 Complaint filed 6/4/18 Complaint Withdrawal filed. Staff recommends a vote not to hear the case. ** MS. COLLIER-CLEMMONS MOVED TO NOT HEAR CASE NO. 1763-18 ** MS. OLIVER SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION PASSED WITH SIX (6) IN FAVOR AND ONE (1) ABSTENTION (MS. GEAKE) Page 13

1764-18 8 Norden Pl., Apt 354. Tenant pays $2,605 per month for a three-bedroom apartment. Landlord is requesting an increase of $305 per month. Tenant alleges that the increase is unfair because she was told the rent would never go beyond what housing approves, and this increase is beyond what Section 8 will pay. Tenant also alleges the rent in unfair because Landlord is charging her comm. Area charges on top of her base rent. 5/30/18 Complaint filed 6/4/18 ATK inspects 6/20/18 Complaint and Inspection Report sent to Landlord 7/9/18 Negotiations on-going Staff recommends a vote to hear the case. ** MR. CHURCH MOVED TO HEAR CASE NO. 1764-18 **MS. COLLIER-CLEMMONS SECONDED THE MOTION. ** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY 1765-18 13 Lincoln Ave., Apt. 2 Tenant pays $1,700 per month for a 4 bedroom apartment. Landlord is requesting an increase of $150 per month. Tenant alleges the increase is unfair because the landlord does not make necessary repairs or take care of landscaping and snow removal. 7/9/18 Complaint filed. Staff recommends a vote to hear the case. ** MR. PRIDE MOVED TO HEAR CASE NO. 1765-18 **MS. COLLIER-CLEMMONS SECONDED THE MOTION. ** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY Page 14 7. OLD BUSINESS a. Rental Value Committee Report

Mr. Church said the Rental Value Committee has been working to determine the best way supplement the data we receive from the CMLS reports with the properties that are not included in the CMLS reports. He said this would include units that are rented by either internal property management companies that either don t use a realtor, or units that are leased by owner. He said that they have developed a survey that will be sent to property management companies that operate apartment buildings with 20 or more units, and will be requesting the information for new leases over the past year. He disturbed a copy of the survey to the committee to review. He said the goal is to send the survey out by mid-august, and the period of time they will be requesting the information for will be the past fiscal year which ended on June 30, 2018, and will be requesting the survey be returned within 45 days. He said that they will also be requesting staff to let the committee know when the letters have been sent out and provide an update of when they are returned. ** MS. COLLIER-CLEMMONS MOVED TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD AN ITEM TO THE AGENDA. ** MS. OLIVER SECONDED THE MOTION. ** MR. PRIDE MOVED TO APPROVE TO ACCEPT THE SURVEY **MS. COLLIER-CLEMMONS SECONDED THE MOTION. 8. NEW BUSINESS No new business was discussed this evening. Page 15

9. MOTION TO ADJOURN ** MR. CHURCH MOVED TO ADJOURN. ** MS. OLIVER SECONDED THE MOTION. ** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY The meeting adjourned at 8:07 PM Respectfully submitted, Dilene Byrd Telesco Secretarial Services Page 16