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Avon tenants press council for Fair Rent Commission as evictions and mold complaints surface
Summary
Tenants from Avon Place (now called Avon 46) told the Town Council they face eviction notices, unresolved mold and rent hikes; councilors discussed creating or joining a Fair Rent Commission and regional options through CRCOG while town staff said some remediation is underway.
Amy Arland, co‑vice president of the Avon Place Tenant Union, told the Avon Town Council that the building has been renamed Avon 46 by owner Up Realty and that multiple tenants have received eviction notices with deadlines in early December. "We are very scared of rent increases," Arland said, and alleged tenants were being charged late fees and that mold problems remain in several apartments despite recent contractor activity.
Chairman Polhamus asked the Town Manager about inspection results. The Town Manager said remediation work is being tracked and that "there may still be outstanding issues," adding that tenants hold the inspection reports and Town staff consider most items "fairly minor." Arland countered that property management had not used a mold remediation company and instead "paint[ed] over the mold with mold resistant paint," which she said does not constitute proper remediation.
The tenant complaints prompted a broad Council discussion of the Fair Rent Commission concept. Town Attorney Rich Roberts described the Council’s options: create a local commission, establish a regional commission with neighboring towns, or participate in a commission through the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG). Roberts cautioned that a Fair Rent Commission is a quasi‑judicial body governed by state statute with 13 criteria for determining whether rent is "unfair," and said the role requires trained volunteers and carries potential exposure to appeals and liability. ‘‘The statute says nothing about evictions,’’ Roberts said when asked whether a commission could halt evictions.
Chelsea Ross, executive director of Partnership for Strong Communities, urged use of the Fair Rent Commission Network and said Commissions can prevent many evictions by addressing habitability issues and temporarily lowering rent amounts while repairs are completed. Tenant union members and advocates urged the Council to pursue a commission or a regional arrangement so tenants at Avon 46 have a venue to contest rent practices and habitability problems.
Councilors discussed outreach and services, including connecting tenants to Social Services and potential legal aid lists. Chairman Polhamus said CRCOG’s regional option warrants further exploration to share administrative costs and expertise. No final decision to establish a local commission was reached at the meeting; Council moved the Fair Rent Commission discussion up on the agenda to allow earlier public comment and deliberation.
The Council’s next steps include monitoring remediation at Avon 46, connecting affected tenants to town social services, and assessing a regional commission model through CRCOG before deciding whether to establish a local Fair Rent Commission.
