Fair Rent Commission

Regular Meeting

Norwalk, CT · September 3, 2025

Minutes

FAIR RENT COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES – SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 VIA ZOOM CONFERENCE ATTENDEES: John Church (Chair), Johnnie Mae Weldon, J Hanson Guest, Brenda Penn-Williams, Fran Collier-Clemmons, Lunise Constant, Peter Halladay. STAFF PRESENT: Carlos Duque, Attorney Russell Liskov. I. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Mr. Church at 7:31 PM. II. ROLL CALL Roll call was taken, confirming the presence of a quorum. III. ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES Mr. Church asked if there were any comments or changes regarding the minutes of the July 9, 2025 Special Meeting. There were no corrections or comments. ** MR. GUEST MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE JULY 9, 2025. **MS. WELDON SECONDED THE MOTION. **MS. COLLIER-CLEMMONS ABSTAINED. **THE MOTION PASSED. IV. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION There were no public participants. V. REPORTS A. Chair's Report Mr. Church reported on the recent Fair Rent Commission training session, coordinated by Mr. Duque, which was held at Odin's Restaurant. He expressed gratitude for the informative session and the opportunity for commissioners to meet and reinforce best practices. He emphasized three key takeaways; affirmation of the Commission’s current procedures, the discretion the Commission has in determining fair rent beyond market rate, and the Commission’s role to address affordability on a case-by-case basis, rather than citywide. Mr. Church announced his intention not to stand for Chair in the upcoming year, expressing appreciation for his time in the role and his intention to continue as a Commissioner. B. Coordinator's Report Mr. Duque provided details on his attendance at the Partnership for Strong Communities event, "Fair Rent Commissions in Action," on July 24, 2025, in New Haven. He described morning and afternoon sessions featuring speakers from various organizations and emphasized the ongoing support for local Fair Rent Commissions. Mr. Duque reviewed recent state legislation pertaining to Fair Rent Commissions, including Public Act 25-121 requiring open hearings, Public Act 25-146 relating to tenant rent ledgers, and Public Act 25-44 regarding disclosure of upfront fees by landlords. He described assisting local residents, particularly Section 8 tenants, with housing authority communications. Mr. Duque invited commissioners to the upcoming Fair Rent Commission Network meeting at Norwalk City Hall on September 25, 2025, and mentioned an October workshop sponsored by the Department of Housing at Foxwoods. Commissioners expressed appreciation for Mr. Duque’s work. VI. REVIEW, DISCUSSION, AND MOTIONS ON OPEN CASES A. 1831-23 8 Union Avenue, Apt B3: After repeated unsuccessful attempts to contact both parties and confirmation that the tenant and landlord reached a private agreement, Attorney Liskov recommended the case be closed. ** MS. COLLIER-CLEMMONS MOVED TO CLOSE CASE 1831-23. **MS. WELDON SECONDED THE MOTION. **THE MOTION PASSED. B. 1862-25 41 Wolf Pit Ave, Apt 4K: The landlord requested a postponement of the hearing due to a death in the family. Attorney Liskov recommended no action at this time. ** MS. COLLIER-CLEMMONS MOVED TO TAKE NO ACTION ON CASE 1862-25. **MR. HALLADAY SECONDED THE MOTION. **THE MOTION PASSED. C. 1868-25 17 Lindman Avenue, Unit 2: The tenant moved out, and the Commission received a withdrawal request. Attorney Liskov recommended closing the case. ** MS. COLLIER-CLEMMONS MOVED TO CLOSE CASE 1868-25. **MS. WELDON SECONDED THE MOTION. **THE MOTION PASSED. VII. PRESENTATION OF NEW CASES There were no new cases formally on the docket. Attorney Liskov stated that new cases may arise but are not yet ready for the agenda. VIII. OLD BUSINESS There was no old business to discuss. IX. NEW BUSINESS Mr. Church initiated the selection of the nominating committee for the upcoming officer election. He appointed Ms. Collier-Clemmons, Mr. Guest, and Ms. Weldon to the nominating committee, all of whom accepted. The committee was instructed to coordinate with Mr. Duque to present a slate at the next meeting. Mr. Church also raised the scheduling conflict with Yom Kippur on October 1, 2025, and proposed moving the next meeting to October 8, 2025, which received unanimous consent. Mr. Duque was tasked with arranging the calendar and potential hearing date. X. ADJOURNMENT ** MR. HALLADAY MOVED TO ADJOURN THE MEETING. ** MS. COLLIER-CLEMMONS SECONDED THE MOTION. **THE MOTION PASSED. The meeting was adjourned around 7:58 pm. Respectfully Submitted, Courtney Baldwin Recording Secretary

Agenda

Packet

REGULAR MEETING – FAIR RENT COMMISSION AGENDA SEPTEMBER 3, 2025, 7:30 PM BY ZOOM VIRTUAL MEETING To allow public access, anyone may access a meeting by telephone and/or Zoom, or a recording in the City of Norwalk YouTube channel. Specific instructions and links can be found at norwalkct.gov/meetings. Members of the public may call in to participate. Callers will not be able to see the meeting participants. All participants will be muted upon entering the meeting. To speak, dial *9 on the phone and you will be called on by the host of the meeting during the public comment section. All speakers must state their name and address. Comments must be on a topic on the agenda, and are limited to three minutes. Anyone disrupting the orderly conduct of the meeting, including by using threatening, hateful, or sexually-explicit language, will be removed. Please find the information using the link above. Members of the public who wish to provide "live comments" may also use the Zoom meeting platform. All participants will be muted upon entering the meeting. To speak, click the “raise your hand indicator” and you will be called by the host of the meeting during the public comment section. All speakers must state their name and address. Comments must be on a topic on the agenda, and are limited to three minutes. Anyone disrupting the orderly conduct of the meeting, including by using threatening, hateful, or sexually-explicit language, will be removed. Please find the information using the link above. Members of the public who wish to provide public comment are encouraged to submit those via email in advance of the meeting. For these comments to be included into the record, they must be submitted by 12:00 p.m. the day of the meeting. Please email fairrent@norwalkct.gov with the subject line “Public Comment” to provide written public comment prior to the meeting. I. CALL TO ORDER II. ROLL CALL III. ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES A. Special Meeting: July 9, 2025 IV. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION V. REPORTS A. Chair's Report B. Coordinator's Report VI. REVIEW, DISCUSSION, AND MOTIONS ON OPEN CASES A. 1831-23 Page 1 of 8 B. 1862-25 C. 1868-25 VII. PRESENTATION OF NEW CASES VIII. OLD BUSINESS IX. NEW BUSINESS X. ADJOURNMENT Page 2 of 8 CITY OF NORWALK FAIR RENT COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES - JULY 9, 2025 Time: 7:30 PM Location: Via Zoom Conference I. CALL TO ORDER Mr. Church called the meeting to order at 7:39 p.m. II. ROLL CALL Mr. Church conducted the roll call and confirmed a quorum was present. Board Members Present: John Church (Chair), Sonja Oliver, Lunise Constant, Peter Halladay, Johnnie Mae Weldon (7:47 p.m.). Additional Attendees: Carlos Duque (Fair Rent Coordinator), Russell Liskov (Attorney). III. ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES A. Regular Meeting: June 4, 2025 Ms. Constant and Ms. Oliver noted corrections: the spelling of Ms. Collier-Clemmons’ name and a language clarification on page 3 ("the motion" instead of "their motion"). ** MS. OLIVER MOVED TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES OF JUNE 4, 2025, AS AMENDED. ** MR. HALLADAY SECONDED THE MOTION. **THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. IV. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION Ms. Jackie McDougall addressed the Commission to express her interest in housing and fair rent issues. She was in attendance to learn about the Commission’s work. There were no further public comments. V. REPORTS A. Chair’s Report The Commission anticipates holding a hearing sometime in the fall. Mr. Church emphasized the importance of commissioner attendance and explained that hearings require more participants and may run longer than regular meetings. 1 CITY OF NORWALK FAIR RENT COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES - JULY 9, 2025 Page 3 of 8 B. Coordinator’s Report Mr. Duque reported assisting close to 400 residents in the fiscal year, including tenants facing evictions, rent increases, repairs, and security deposit issues. He noted the challenges tenants face with court documentation and described assisting them in preparing and submitting court forms. Mr. Duque detailed recent outreach, including a Fair Rent presentation to the Health Department. He plans on doing quarterly public outreach, virtually and in Spanish. He discussed the upcoming statewide event for August 6, 2025, in New Haven. VI. REVIEW, DISCUSSION, AND MOTIONS ON OPEN CASES A. 1831-23 Attorney Liskov reported that the parties continue to cooperate informally, with rent payments current and no recent complaints. While no written agreement has been finalized, both sides appear satisfied. Attorney Liskov recommended no action at this time. ** MS. OLIVER MOVED TO TAKE NO ACTION ON CASE #1831-23. **MS. WELDON SECONDED. ** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. B. 1861-25 Attorney Liskov explained that the tenant and landlord have entered a new lease and the tenant has withdrawn the complaint. Attorney Liskov recommended closing the case. ** MS. OLIVER MOVED TO CLOSE CASE #1861-25. ** MR. HALLADAY SECONDED. ** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. C. 1862-25 Attorney Liskov stated this case is about a proposed rent increase. Discussions remain ongoing and a hearing is planned for September. No action was recommended at this time. ** MS. OLIVER MOVED TO TAKE NO ACTION ON CASE #1862-25. ** MS. CONSTANT SECONDED. ** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. VII. PRESENTATION OF NEW CASES A. 1865-25 The tenant was billed for marshal and attorney fees after a late rent payment. Attorney Liskov advised this issue falls outside the Fair Rent Commission’s jurisdiction and recommended not accepting the case. 2 CITY OF NORWALK FAIR RENT COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES - JULY 9, 2025 Page 4 of 8 ** MS. OLIVER MOVED NOT TO ACCEPT THE CASE. ** MR. HALLADAY SECONDED. ** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. B. 1866-25 This case involved a $400 charge to the tenant for toilet replacement, which the tenant felt was excessive. Attorney Liskov determined this matter falls outside the Commission’s scope and recommended not accepting the case. ** MS. OLIVER MOVED NOT TO ACCEPT THE CASE. ** MR. HALLADAY SECONDED. ** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. C. 1867-25 The tenant alleged uninhabitable conditions due to noise from the upstairs apartment. Attorney Liskov noted that general noise complaints do not fall within the Commission’s jurisdiction unless the circumstances are extreme. ** MS. OLIVER MOVED NOT TO ACCEPT THE CASE. ** MS. WELDON SECONDED. ** THE MOTION PASSED, WITH ONE ABSTENTION (MR. CHURCH). D. 1868-25 This case concerns a proposed rent increase from around $2,100 to $3,000 per month for a two- bedroom apartment, which the tenant claimed was excessive. Attorney Liskov advised the case was appropriate for Commission review. ** MS. OLIVER MOVED TO ACCEPT THE CASE. ** MS. WELDON SECONDED. ** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. VIII. OLD BUSINESS A. Fair Rent Commission Dinner Mr. Duque reported on arrangements for the Commission dinner with a presentation by lawyers from Connecticut Legal Housing. The event will be held August 6, 2025, at Odean’s Restaurant at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 7:30 p.m. This will be a working dinner event with Q&A opportunity for commissioners. Invitation to be extended to former commissioners. IX. NEW BUSINESS Ms. Weldon and Mr. Duque discussed the importance of tenants documenting apartment conditions, especially for residents with long tenancies, as disputes over wear and tear and damaged items can arise during move-out. Mr. Duque described a recent case where a tenant 3 CITY OF NORWALK FAIR RENT COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES - JULY 9, 2025 Page 5 of 8 found new occupants moving in before their move-out deadline, resulting in an unresolved dispute. No formal new business was introduced. X. ADJOURNMENT ** MS. OLIVER MOVED TO ADJOURN. ** MR. HALLADAY SECONDED. ** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. The meeting adjourned at 8:43 PM. Respectfully submitted, Courtney Baldwin 4 CITY OF NORWALK FAIR RENT COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES - JULY 9, 2025 Page 6 of 8 NORWALK FAIR RENT COMMISSION OPEN CASES AS OF SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 1831-23 8 Union Ave, Apt B3. Landlord wants to increase rent from $959.50 to $1500 for a 1 Bedroom apt. Tenant feels this rent increase is excessive due to her disability and limited income. 07/20/23 Complaint Filed 07/26/23 Notification letters mailed out to landlord via certified mail 08/02/23 Voicemail left to landlord’s attorney by Russell 08/02/23 Russell and I spoke to Tenant. Negotiations ongoing 09/02/23 Negotiations ongoing 10/04/23 Negotiations ongoing 10/30/23 Offer received from tenant; negotiations ongoing 12/20/23 Email sent to tenant’s next of kin (NOK) 01/23/24 Voicemail left for tenant’s NOK 01/26/24 No response letter mailed out complainant via certified mail 02/02/24 Email received from tenant’s NOK about a senior housing application submitted to the Norwalk Housing Authority and missing documents that they still needed to submit. 02/07/24 Negotiations ongoing 02/16/24 Spoke to tenant’s NOK 02/21/24 Offer communicated to landlord’s lawyer. Waiting on a response 03/21/24 Offer not accepted by landlord 04/02/24 Fair rent hearing to be scheduled for June 06/05/24 Hearing postponed till January 2024 pending tentative agreement for 6 months 07/12/24 One of our Community Navigators did confirm tenant is on the Norwalk Housing Authority Senior Housing wait list. 07/17/24 I emailed and mailed an application for Broad River Homes to tenant and her NOK. 08/30/24 Negotiations ongoing 10/02/24 Multiple calls made to tenant’s next of kin and multiple voicemails left, no answer back 11/06/24 Tenant next of kin reached out and spoke to Russell 12/03/24 Hearing notices (January Hearing) electronically mailed out to both parties 01/08/25 Agreement reached, pending signatures 01/28/25 Agreement electronically mailed to both parties, waiting for it to be signed and sent back to me 05/06/25 Attorney for landlord emailed that negotiations are still ongoing 06/03/25 Emailed sent out to both parties about an update and about putting them on the agenda for July’s meeting to explained why the agreement has not been reached. 07/09/25 Emailed sent out to both parties requesting an update or a finalized agreement 08/11/25 Emailed sent out to both parties about status of agreement. Notice given that failure to respond would cause the commission to vote at September’s meeting to dismiss the case Staff Recommends vote to close the case Page 7 of 8 1862-25 41 Wolfpit Ave, Apt 4K. Landlord wants to increase rent from $2294 a month to $2480 a month for a two-bedroom apt. Tenant feels this is excessive due to their limited income and the condition of the apartment. 04/01/25 Complaint filed 04/08/25 Notifications sent out vis certified mail 04/23/25 Russell had a conversation with the landlord 05/07/25 Russell had a conversation with the landlord 05/30/25 Hearing notices being prepared for July’s hearing 06/24/25 Electronic notification sent out postponing hearing date until September. 08/29/25 Email sent out postponing hearing until October Staff Recommends vote to take no action 1868-25 17 Linden st, Unit #2. Landlord wants to increase rent from $2100 a month to $3000 a month for a 2-bedroom apartment. Tenant feels this is excessive. 06/05/25 Complaint filed 06/13/25 Notifications sent out via electronic and certified mail 06/24/25 Carlos soke to landlord and tenant 07/01/25 Tenant came in to talk to Carlos 07/08/25 negotiations ongoing 07/13/25 TN emailed me that she would be moving out the first week in August 08/11/25 Carlos spoke to TN, she did move out. Complaint withdrawal emailed to her. 09/03/25 Complaint withdrawal returned Staff recommends vote to close the case NEW CASES Page 8 of 8