Cap the Rent CT Campaign Launch
Channel: Connecticut DSA
Date: 2023-01-14

CAP THE RENT CT COALITION LAUNCHES LEGISLATIVE CAMPAIGN FOR 3% CAP ON RENT INCREASES

Connecticut Democratic Socialists of America (CT DSA) and Connecticut Tenants Union (CTTU) along with a coalition of unions, community organizations, and nonprofits, launches a legislative campaign to win a 3% cap on annual rent increases and end to no-cause evictions. 
On Thursday, January 12th at 7 p.m, organizers from CT DSA and CT Tenants Union will host an online launch of Cap the Rent CT, a grassroots campaign to pass a bill this legislative session to cap annual rent increases at 3% and end no-cause evictions throughout the state. 
The launch will kick-off the Cap the Rent CT campaign, endorsed by more than a dozen organizations, and will include a presentation on the need for caps on rent increases and expansion of good cause eviction protections led by tenant union leaders from the Hamden Tenants Union and the Hartford Tenant Union; as well as community organizers with CT DSA, CT Tenants Union, Make the Road CT, and GHIAA.
The coalition will mobilize attendees to join the campaign by canvassing their communities, speaking to their legislators, and publicly supporting the legislation. Spanish interpretation will be provided.
Renters deserve stability, safety, and the chance to put down roots. But rent in Connecticut has skyrocketed, with a 20% average increase over the last two years, displacing renters and fracturing our communities. Rent increases are fueling rising levels of eviction and homelessness, and yet there is no limit on how much landlords can raise rent in Connecticut. 
“Tenants are working very hard to keep our homes,” says Sharon Terrell, a leader in the Hartford Tenant Union. “Many of us were essential workers during the pandemic and we usually are exploited in our jobs. A rent cap is more than necessary, because the rent increases deliberately every year, and our incomes do not.”
Jessica Stamp, a tenant union leader in New Haven, explains: “The Blake Street Tenants Union is fighting for this bill because we want affordable, stable housing. We don't want to be kicked out without cause so the landlord can renovate apartments and then increase the rent by $600-$800 dollars. Many of us can't afford to move even though we have good, full-time jobs; rent is too high. We need a break.”
Cap the Rent CT is pushing for legislation this session that would provide:  
- A 3% annual cap on rent increases, meaning landlords cannot raise rent by more than 3% a year;
- Coverage for all kinds of housing, including between tenants; 
- Expansion of Good Cause eviction protections, meaning landlords must have reasons to ask tenants to move out; 
- Strong enforcement measures for landlords who violate tenant rights;
- Local process for landlords to request higher increases on a case-by-case basis when necessary to provide a return on investment.
The organizations participating in the Cap the Rent CT coalition include the Connecticut Tenants Union, CT DSA, Connecticut Fair Housing Center, Center for Leadership and Justice, Make the Road CT, NB Racial Justice Coalition, SEIU District 1199 New England, CSEA SEIU Local 2001, Congress of Connecticut Community Colleges, SEIU L1973, CSU-AAUP, the Hamden Tenant Union, the Blake Street Tenants Union, Mothers and Others for Justice, Citywide Youth Coalition, Inc., Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Black And Brown United In Action, and New London Coalition for the Homeless.