Danbury residents back tougher penalties for illegal apartments at council public hearing

Danbury City Council President Peter Bizaid opened a public hearing on five items and listened as residents urged the council to strengthen penalties for housing-code violations and illegal apartments.

Robert Millo, who identified himself as a former Zoning Commission chairman and gave a Danbury address, told the council the proposed amendment to section 21-137 "will help give some teeth" to enforcement agencies and encouraged the council to pass the ordinance. "I support this. I would encourage you to pass it," he said.

Ken Gucker, another Danbury resident, said illegal apartments are a continuing safety concern for neighbors and first responders and described the inspection process as a "whack a mole" problem, where occupants temporarily move out for an inspection and return later. "So the more that we can do to put to give our inspectors in our city more teeth and more penalties, to enforce this, I think, all around, the quality of life in the neighborhoods would be better," Gucker said.

President Bizaid conducted roll call at the start of the hearing and stated 14 council members were present. The hearing format limited council members to listening rather than engaging with speakers during public comment.

The comments were made during the council's public hearing on a proposed amendment to ordinance section 21-137, which addresses penalties for violation of health and housing abatement orders; no formal council vote on the ordinance was recorded during the hearing. The chair closed the public hearing by voice vote and the meeting was adjourned.