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CRAG raises liability, scope concerns about House Bill 5226 requiring regional fair‑rent commissions for mobile‑home parks
Summary
CRAG staff and members flagged House Bill 5226, which would require regional fair‑rent commissions to serve mobile‑home park tenants, warning that a statewide mandate could overwhelm councils of governments and expose them to liability; staff recommended Department of Consumer Protection as a better statewide forum.
CRAG legislative committee members discussed House Bill 5226 — an act concerning manufactured homes and mobile‑home parks — and registered concerns that a statutory mandate to require regional fair‑rent commissions could impose unwieldy caseloads and legal liabilities on councils of governments (COGs).
Matt introduced the bill and said Representative Rebecca Martinez has championed the proposal to ensure mobile‑home park tenants have access to fair‑rent commissions. He explained that many mobile‑home residents own their homes but lease park land and that current regulation often falls under the Department of Consumer Protection rather than housing authorities.
"This would be a mandate," Matt said, describing a section of the bill that would require every COG with a mobile‑home park to establish or participate in a regional fair‑rent commission. CRAG staff and members pushed back, saying the law adopted last fall allows COGs to form such commissions at their discretion and that a mandate goes beyond that framework.
Donna told the committee the bill has passed its committee stage but still faces calendar constraints and leadership evaluation; House Chair Brolan Lamar instructed committee members to get materials in order quickly for items to move forward. She said CRAG has worked with Representative Martinez to explain operational complexities and recommended that, if statewide coverage is desired, the state Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) would be a more appropriate entity to handle complaints than imposing a mandate on COGs.
Concerns raised included potential high caseloads, a growing plaintiffs' bar bringing cases to superior court, and the limited liability protections COGs have compared with municipalities. Matt said CRAG firmly rejected proposals that would have CRAG staff or a single COG serve as a state‑wide pilot to cover every complaint in Connecticut.
Next steps: CRAG staff will continue engagement with Representative Martinez and House leadership; members were asked to direct inquiries about HB 5226 to CRAG staff for coordinated responses.
