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--- version:JUD Joint Favorable+++ version:(document, no version)@@ -1,247 +1,206 @@-LCO 1 of 7--General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 257-February Session, 2026+Researcher: SM Page 1 3/26/26++OLR Bill Analysis+sSB 257AN ACT CONCERNING EVICTIONS FOR CAUSE.-Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General-Assembly convened:--Section 1. Section 47a -23c of the general statutes is repealed and the 1-following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 2-(a) (1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, this 3-section applies to any tenant who resides in a building or complex 4-consisting of five or more separate dwelling units or who resides in a 5-mobile manufactured home park and who: [is either: (A) Sixty-two] (A) 6-Is sixty-two years of age or older, or whose spouse, sibling, parent or 7-grandparent is sixty-two years of age or older and permanently resides 8-with that tenant, [or] (B) is a person with a physical or mental disability, 9-as defined in subdivision (12) of section 46a -64b, or whose spouse, 10-sibling, child, parent or grandparent is a person with a physical or 11-mental disability who permanently resides with that tenant, but only if 12-such disability can be expected to result in death or to last for a 13-continuous period of at least twelve months , or (C) has resided in such 14-building, complex or mobile manufactured home park pursuant to a 15-rental agreement for not less than twelve months, provided the landlord 16-did not (i) give a notice to quit possession to the tenant pursuant to 17-subparagraph (A) of subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 47a -23, 18-as amended by this act, or subdivisions (2) and (3) of subsection (a) of 19-Substitute Bill No. 257--LCO 2 of 7--section 47a-23, as amended by this act, during a lease period of more 20-than twelve months, and (ii) bring a summary process action pursuant 21-to chapter 832 against the tenant within ninety days of the date to quit 22-possession provided in such notice, which resulted in a judgment that 23-the landlord recover possession or occupancy of the premises. This 24-section shall not apply to a tenant who is the subject of a pending 25-summary process action that has been brought as described in 26-subparagraph (C) of this subdivision. 27-(2) With respect to tenants in common interest communities, this 28-section applies only to (A) a conversion tenant, as defined in 29-[subsection] subdivision (3) of section 47 -283, who (i) is described in 30-subdivision (1) of this subsection, or (ii) is not described in subdivision 31-(1) of this subsection but, during a transition period, as defined in 32-[subsection] subdivision (4) of section 47-283, is residing in a conversion 33-condominium created after May 6, 1980, or in any other conversion 34-common interest community created after December 31, 1982, or (iii) is 35-not described in subdivision (1) of this subsection but is otherwise 36-protected as a conversion tenant by public act 80 -370, and (B) a tenant 37-who is not a conversion tenant but who is described in subdivision (1) 38-of this subsection if [his] such tenant's landlord owns five or more 39-dwelling units in the common interest community in which the 40-dwelling unit is located. 41-(3) As used in this section, "tenant" includes each resident of a mobile 42-manufactured home park, as defined in section 21 -64, including a 43-resident who owns [his own home ] the home in which such resident 44-resides, "landlord" includes a "licensee" and an "owner" of a mobile 45-manufactured home park, as defined in section 21-64, "complex" means 46-two or more buildings on the same or contiguous parcels of real 47-property under the same ownership, and "mobile manufactured home 48-park" means a parcel of real property, or contiguous parcels of real 49-property under the same ownership, upon which five or more mobile 50-manufactured homes occupied for residential purposes are located. 51-(b) (1) No landlord may bring an action of summary process or other 52-Substitute Bill No. 257--LCO 3 of 7--action to dispossess a tenant described in subsection (a) of this section 53-except for one or more of the following reasons: (A) Nonpayment of 54-rent; (B) refusal to agree to a fair and equitable rent increase, as [defined] 55-described in subsection (c) of this section; (C) material noncompliance 56-with section 47a-11 or subsection (b) of section 21 -82, which materially 57-affects the health and safety of the other tenants or which materially 58-affects the physical condition of the premises; (D) voiding of the rental 59-agreement pursuant to section 47a -31, or material noncompliance with 60-the rental agreement; (E) material noncompliance with the rules and 61-regulations of the landlord adopted in accordance with section 47a-9 or 62-21-70; (F) permanent removal by the landlord of the dwelling unit of 63-such tenant from the housing market; [or] (G) bona fide intention by the 64-landlord to use such dwelling unit as [his] such landlord's principal 65-residence; or (H) if the tenant is not an individual described in 66-subparagraph (A) or (B) of subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this 67-section, bona fide intention by the landlord to use such dwelling unit as 68-the principal residence for such landlord's child, grandchild, parent or 69-grandparent, provided in either case (i) the landlord is a natural person, 70-(ii) the landlord gave such tenant at least ninety days' advance written 71-notice, (iii) there is no other unit in the building or complex or mobile 72-manufactured home park reasonably available to the landlord or such 73-landlord's relative at that time or within a reasonable period of time, and 74-(iv) the landlord has a bona fide belief that such use for principal 75-residency will continue for not less than six months. 76-(2) The [ground] grounds stated in [subparagraph] subparagraphs 77-(G) and (H) of subdivision (1) of this subsection [is] are not available to 78-the owner of a dwelling unit in a common interest community occupied 79-by a conversion tenant. 80-(3) A tenant may not be dispossessed for a reason described in 81-subparagraph (B), (F), [or] (G) or (H) of subdivision (1) of this subsection 82-during the term of any existing rental agreement. 83-(c) (1) The rent of a tenant protected by this section may be increased 84-only to the extent that such increase is fair and equitable, based on the 85-Substitute Bill No. 257--LCO 4 of 7--criteria set forth in section 7-148c. 86-(2) Any such tenant aggrieved by a rent increase or proposed rent 87-increase may file a complaint with the fair rent commission, if any, for 88-the town, city or borough where [his] such tenant's dwelling unit or 89-mobile manufactured home park lot is located; or, if no such fair rent 90-commission exists, may bring an action in the Superior Court to contest 91-the increase. In any such court proceeding, the court shall determine 92-whether the rent increase is fair and equitable, based on the criteria set 93-forth in section 7-148c. 94-(d) A landlord, to determine whether a tenant is a protected tenant, 95-as described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of subdivision (1) of subsection 96-(a) of this section, when such protected status is not readily apparent to 97-a landlord, may request proof of such protected status. [On such] Upon 98-request, any tenant claiming protection shall provide proof of the 99-protected status within thirty days. [The] If such protected status is 100-based on the physical or mental disability of the tenant or the spouse, 101-sibling, child, parent or grandparent who resides with such tenant, such 102-proof [shall] may include evidence of receipt of Social Security disability 103-benefits or supplemental security income, a statement of a [physician or 104-an advanced practice registered nurse in the case of alleged blindness or 105-other physical disability] medical professional, social services agency, 106-counselor, case manager or peer support group concerning such 107-disability or a statement from another reliable third party who is in a 108-position to know about such person's disability. Evidence of receipt of 109-Social Security disability benefits or supplemental security income shall 110-constitute proof of protected status. 111-(e) (1) On and after January 1, 2024, whenever a dwelling unit located 112-in a building or complex consisting of five or more separate dwelling 113-units or in a mobile manufactured home park is rented to, or a rental 114-agreement is entered into or renewed with, a tenant, the landlord of 115-such dwelling unit or such landlord's agent shall provide such tenant 116-with written notice of the provisions of subsections (b) and (c) of this 117-section in a form as described in subdivision (2) of this subsection and 118-Substitute Bill No. 257--LCO 5 of 7--on and after January 1, 2027, the landlord or agent shall provide the 119-revised notice created under said subdivision. 120-(2) Not later than December 1, 2023, the Commissioner of Housing 121-shall create a notice to be used by landlords, pursuant to subdivision (1) 122-of this subsection, to inform tenants of the rights provided to protected 123-tenants under subsections (b) and (c) of this section. Such notice shall be 124-a one -page, plain -language summary of such rights and shall be 125-available in both English and Spanish. Not later than December 1, 2023, 126-such notice shall be posted on the Department of Housing's Internet web 127-site. Not later than December 1, 2026, the Commissioner of Housing 128-shall revise such notice in accordance with the provisions of this section 129-and shall post such revised notice on the Department of Housing's 130-Internet web site. 131-(3) Not later than December 1, 2028, the commissioner shall (A) 132-translate the notice required under subdivision (2) of this subsection 133-into the five most commonly spoken languages in the state, as 134-determined by the commissioner, and (B) post such translations on the 135-Department of Housing's Internet web site not later than December 1, 136-2028. 137-Sec. 2. Subsection (i) of section 47 -88b of the general statutes is 138-repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 139-1, 2026): 140-(i) After the conversion of a dwelling unit in a building to 141-condominium ownership, the declarant or unit owner, for the purpose 142-of determining if a lessee's eviction is prohibited under subsection (b) of 143-section 47a-23c, as amended by this act , may ask any lessee to provide 144-proof of the age, blindness or physical disability of such lessee or any 145-person residing with him, or of the familial relationship existing 146-between such lessee and any person residing with him. The lessee shall 147-provide such proof, within thirty days, including, in the case of alleged 148-physical disability, evidence of receipt of Social Security disability 149-benefits or supplemental security income, a statement of a [physician, a 150-Substitute Bill No. 257--LCO 6 of 7--physician assistant or an advanced practice registered nurse or, in the 151-case of alleged blindness, a statement of a physician, an advanced 152-practice registered nurse or an optometrist, within thirty days] medical 153-professional, social services agency, counselor, case manager or peer 154-support group concerning such disability or a statement from another 155-reliable third party who is in a position to know about such person's 156-disability. Evidence of receipt of Social Security disability benefits or 157-supplemental security income shall constitute proof of protected status. 158-Sec. 3. Subsection (a) of section 47a -23 of the 2026 supplement to the 159-general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 160-thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 161-(a) When the owner or lessor, or the owner's or lessor's legal 162-representative, or the owner's or lessor's attorney -at-law, or in -fact, 163-desires to obtain possession or occupancy of any land or building, any 164-apartment in any building, any dwelling unit, any trailer, or any land 165-upon which a trailer is used or stands, and (1) when a rental agreement 166-or lease of such property, whether in writing or by parol, terminates for 167-any of the following reasons: (A) By lapse of time; (B) by reason of any 168-expressed stipulation therein; (C) violation of the rental agreement or 169-lease or of any rules or regulations adopted in accordance with section 170-47a-9 or 21-70; (D) nonpayment of rent within the grace period provided 171-for residential property in section 47a -15a or 21 -83, except this 172-subparagraph shall not apply if the owner or lessor's online rental 173-payment system prevents such payment of rent within the grace period 174-provided for residential property in section 47a -15a or 21 -83; (E) 175-nonpayment of rent when due for commercial property; (F) violation of 176-section 47a -11 or subsection (b) of section 21 -82; or (G) nuisance, as 177-defined in section 47a -32, or serious nuisance, as defined in section 178-47a-15 or 21 -80; or (2) when such premises, or any part thereof, is 179-occupied by one who never had a right or privilege to occupy such 180-premises; or (3) when one originally had the right or privilege to occupy 181-such premises but such right or privilege has terminated; or (4) when an 182-action of summary process or other action to dispossess a tenant is 183-authorized under subsection (b) of section 47a -23c, as amended by this 184-Substitute Bill No. 257--LCO 7 of 7--act, for any of the following reasons: (A) Refusal to agree to a fair and 185-equitable rent increase, as defined in subsection (c) of section 47a-23c, as 186-amended by this act , (B) permanent removal by the landlord of the 187-dwelling unit of such tenant from the housing market, [or] (C) bona fide 188-intention by the landlord to use such dwelling unit as such landlord's 189-principal residence, or (D) bona fide intention by the landlord to use 190-such dwelling unit as the principal residence for such landlord's child, 191-grandchild, parent or grandparent pursuant to the provisions of 192-subparagraph (H) of subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 47a-23c, 193-as amended by this act ; or (5) when a farm employee, as described in 194-section 47a -30, or a domestic servant, caretaker, manager or other 195-employee, as described in subsection (b) of section 47a-36, occupies such 196-premises furnished by the employer and fails to vacate such premises 197-after employment is terminated by such employee or the employer or 198-after such employee fails to report for employment, such owner or 199-lessor, or such owner's or lessor's legal representative, or such owner's 200-or lessor's attorney-at-law, or in-fact, shall give notice to each lessee or 201-occupant to quit possession or occupancy of such land, building, 202-apartment or dwelling unit, at least three days before the termination of 203-the rental agreement or lease, if any, or before the time specified in the 204-notice for the lessee or occupant to quit possession or occupancy. 205-This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following-sections:--Section 1 October 1, 2026 47a-23c-Sec. 2 October 1, 2026 47-88b(i)-Sec. 3 October 1, 2026 47a-23(a)--HSG Joint Favorable Subst.-JUD Joint Favorable++SUMMARY+This bill extends , with one exception, certain existing eviction and+rent increase protections to all tenants who have lived in specified+housing types under a rental agreement for at least 1 2 months. This+generally includes buildings and complexes with at least five separate+dwelling units and mobile home parks with at least five homes. Under+current law, these protections are generally available only to tenants+who (1) live in these housing types and (2) are at least age 62 or people+with disabilities (and their family members in the household).+Under the exception, the protections do not apply to a tenant who is:+1. given a notice to quit (a) due to lapse of time (see below) or+because he or she never had a right or privilege to occupy the+premises (or this right or privilege ended) and (b) during a lease+period of more than 12 months; and+2. subsequently the subject of an eviction action, within 90 days of+the notice’s date to quit possession, that resulted in judgment for+the landlord . (Presumably , this means th e landlord moved+forward with the summons and complaint process within this+timeframe.)+The bill also specifies the protections do not apply to a tenant who is+the subject of a pending summary process (eviction) action as described+above.+Existing law allows landlords to evict tenants covered by these+protections (“protected tenants”) based only on certain grounds.+Landlords cannot do so just because the lease has expired (a lapse of+time eviction). The bill establishes an additional ground, generally+2026SB-00257-R000204-BA.DOCX++Researcher: SM Page 2 3/26/26++applicable only to tenants who are not protected under current law ,+based on a landlord’s intention to use the dwelling unit as a family+member’s principal residence.+The bill also (1) modifies provisions of current law on proof of+protected status and (2) requires the Department of Housing (DOH) to+revise its summary notice of protected tenants’ rights based on the bill’s+extension of these protections.+Lastly, it makes various minor, technical, and conforming changes.+EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2026+PROTECTED TENANTS+The bill generally extends , with the one exception noted above,+existing law’s eviction and rent increase protections (see below) for+certain protected tenants to all tenants who have lived in one the+following housing types for a minimum of 1 2 months under a rental+agreement:+1. buildings or complexes with at least five separate dwelling units;+or+2. mobile manufactured home parks with at least five homes.+This extension also applies to qualifying tenants living in common+interest communities (1) where their landlord owns at least five+dwelling units or (2) that were previously converted from a mobile+home park, under certain circumstances (see BACKGROUND —+Conversion Tenants).+Under current law, these protections generally apply only to a tenant+living in the housing types described above who is:+1. at least age 62, or who permanently lives with a family member+(spouse, sibling, parent, or grandparent ) meeting this age+requirement; or+2. a person with a physical or mental disability, or who+2026SB-00257-R000204-BA.DOCX++Researcher: SM Page 3 3/26/26++permanently lives with a family member, including a child, with+a disability that can be expected to last for at least 12 months or+result in death.+Under existing law, unchanged by the bill, “landlord” includes a+licensee or owner of a mobile home park and “tenant” includes park+residents (including those who own their home).+Proof of Protected Status+Under current law, a landlord can request proof of a person’s status+as a “protected tenant” based on age or disability , and the tenant must+provide it within 30 days. The bill specifies that landlords may only do+so when protected status is not readily apparent and expands the ways+in which someone can try to prove protected status based on a physical+or mental disability. Specifically, the bill allows these tenants to give the+landlord any of the following:+1. evidence of receiving Social Security disability benefits or+supplemental security income (under the bill, this evidence is+proof of protected status); or+2. a statement about the disability from a medical professional,+social services agency, counselor, case manager, peer support+group, or another reliable third party who would know about the+disability.+These provisions replace current law’s requirement that proof of+protected status based on alleged blindness or other physical disability+include a statement from a physician or advanced practice registered+nurse. The bill makes similar changes to procedures for a tenant in a+conversion condominium to prove protected status to a declarant or+unit owner, who may ask for proof regardless of whether the status is+readily apparent.+GROUNDS FOR EVICTION+The bill extends existing law’s eviction protection to the expanded+group of protected tenants. As under existing law, landlords can evict+protected tenants based only on certain grounds. These are commonly+2026SB-00257-R000204-BA.DOCX++Researcher: SM Page 4 3/26/26++known as “for cause” or “just cause” evictions and include the following+reasons:+1. nonpayment of rent,+2. material noncompliance with tenants’ or mobile home parks+residents’ statutory duties that materially affects the (a) health+and safety of other tenants or (b) physical condition of the+premises (this generally includes nuisance and serious nuisance),+3. material noncompliance with the rental agreement or a+landlord’s lawfully adopted rules and regulations, and+4. voiding of a rental agreement based on certain illegal activity.+Additionally, landlords can evict these tenants for other reasons after+a rental agreement expires, including if the (1) tenant will not agree to a+fair and equitable rent increase (see below) or (2) landlord permanently+removes the unit from the housing m arket or genuinely intends to use+it as his or her principal residence. Similarly, the bill’s additional+eviction ground based on a landlord’s intention to use the dwelling unit+as a family member’s principal residence (see below) is not available+during the term of an existing rental agreement.+Principal Residence for Landlord’s Family Member+The bill establishes an additional eviction ground, applicable only to+protected tenants who are not at least age 62 or someone with a+disability (and their family members in the household) , based on a+landlord’s genuine intention to use the dwelling unit as the principal+residence of certain family members (a child, grandchild, parent, or+grandparent). However, it also requires the following conditions be met+for this ground to apply:+1. the landlord is a natural person;+2. he or she gave the tenant at least 90 days’ advance written notice;+3. there is currently no other unit in the building, complex, or+mobile home park reasonably available to the landlord or family+2026SB-00257-R000204-BA.DOCX++Researcher: SM Page 5 3/26/26++member, or one that will become available within a reasonable+time period; and+4. the landlord genuinely believes that the family member will use+the dwelling unit as a principal residence for at least six months.+A landlord’s intention to use the dwelling unit as a family member’s+principal residence is not an available eviction ground against common+interest community conversion tenants, as is the case for existing law’s+ground based on a landlord’s intention to use the dwelling unit as his+or her own principal residence.+PROTECTION AGAINST EXCESSIVE RENT INCREASES+As under existing law for currently protected tenants, the bill requires+rent increases for all protected tenants to be “fair and equitable” based+on the same factors a fair rent commission must consider in determining+excessive rent increases (see BACKGROUND — Fair Rent Commissions).+It allows these tenants, if aggrieved by a rent increase (or proposed+increase), to (1) file a complaint with the municipality’s fair rent+commission, or (2) if living in a municipality without one, to go to court+to fight the increase. Existing law, unchanged by the bill, requires the+court to determine whether the rent increase is fair and equitable based+on the factors fair rent commissions must use.+DOH NOTICE ON PROTECTED TENANTS’ RIGHTS+Current law requires (1) DOH to create a one -page notice+summarizing protected tenants’ rights related to evictions and rent+increases and post it on the department’s website and (2) landlords (or+their agents) to give the notice to any tenant that rents, or enters or+renews an agreement to rent, a dwelling unit located in a building ,+complex, or mobile home park described above. The bill requires DOH+to revise this notice, by December 1, 2026, based on its extension of these+protections and correspondingly requires landlords or their agents to+use the revised notice starting on January 1, 2027.++2026SB-00257-R000204-BA.DOCX++Researcher: SM Page 6 3/26/26++BACKGROUND+Conversion Tenants+By law, common interest community conversion tenants are+generally those who live in a dwelling unit or on a mobile home park+space or lot both before and after it becomes part of a common interest+community or is offered for sale as part of one (a convert ed unit) (CGS+§ 47-283).+Fair Rent Commissions and Fair and Equitable Rent Increases+By law, fair rent commissions are empowered to (1) control and+eliminate excessive rental charges and (2) enforce landlord -tenant+statutes prohibiting landlord retaliation and establishing eviction+protections for certain protected tenants (as described ab ove). Among+other things, fair rent commission s may receive rent complaints and+hold hearings on them (CGS § 7-148b et seq.).+The law requires municipalities with a population of at least 15,000,+by January 1, 2028, to have a fair rent commission or be part of a joint or+regional commission. It also allows other municipalities below this+population threshold to do so.+Fair rent commissions must consider certain factors, as applicable,+when determining whether a rental charge or proposed rent increase is+excessive ( such as rents for comparable units and the amount and+frequency of rent increases) (CGS § 7-148b et seq.).+Related Bill+sHB 5092, reported favorably by the Housing Committee, generally+requires fair rent commissions, in determining whether a proposed rent+increase is excessive, to consider whether ownership of an+accommodation was transferred within the last 12 months.+COMMITTEE ACTION+Housing Committee+Joint Favorable Substitute+Yea 11 Nay 8 (03/10/2026)
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