FAIR RENT COMMISSION NETWORK
The Fair Rent Commission Network is a statewide membership network of cities and towns that have an established Fair Rent Commission. Any Connecticut municipality with a Fair Rent Commission is eligible to join. The Network is actively recruiting members in locations who are getting Fair Rent Commissions started as well as locations that may have Commissions, but are currently inactive.
The Network’s mission is to:
- Support existing commissions through training and shared resources
- Encourage the creation of new FRCs
- Serve as a hub for knowledge, tools, and collaboration for municipal leaders and housing advocates
The Network is a resource for municipalities that want to better protect renters in their communities through fair, transparent, and community-centered rent review processes. The Network is governed by an Executive Board made up of active Commissioners from around the state and is made possible through funding from the Connecticut Department of Housing. The Partnership for Strong Communities serves as a partner to the Network and its fiscal agent.
What is a Fair Rent Commission (FRC)?
A Fair Rent Commission (FRC) is a municipal board authorized under Connecticut law to review rent increases and other rental charges. An FRC has the legal power, utilizing multiple statutory factors including the size of rent increases, to modify or limit charges that are determined to be so excessive as to be “harsh and unconscionable.”
When an FRC finds that a rent increase is unfair, one outcome may be resetting rent to a “fair and equitable” rate. These decisions are legally binding.
FRCs have existed in Connecticut since 1969 and remain a unique, town-level form of rent stability for tenants —giving communities, taking into account local dynamics, the power to directly address excessive rent increases and housing code violations.
How FRCs Work
- FRCs are made up of local residents—not housing experts or lawyers—appointed by the town.
- Each municipality determines how its FRC is structured and how tenants can file complaints.
- FRCs provide renters a pathway to challenge unfair rent increases, burdensome fees or “other” charges and offer some protection for tenants once a complaint is filed —something many tenants simply can’t do otherwise.
- Without an FRC, renters often face a stark choice: accept the increase, move out, or risk eviction.
What Can a Fair Rent Commission Do?
- Review and adjust rent increases (including fees and base rent) based on the circumstances of both tenant and landlord
- Delay or deny rent increases when housing conditions are unsafe or code violations exist
- Help resolve landlord-tenant disputes—often without the need for a formal hearing
- Strengthen local housing enforcement by using rent decisions to hold landlords accountableReview and adjust rent increases (including fees and base rent) based on the circumstances of both tenant and landlord.
Interested in Joining the Network?
Whether your town already has an FRC or is exploring the idea, the Statewide Fair Rent Commission Network is here to help. Contact Elyssa Romero at the network at eromerofrc@gmail.com.
Learn more by checking out this video (coming soon!)
Click here for a printable 1-pager on the Fair Rent Commission Network.
Fair Rent Commission Resources
Fair Rent Commission Toolkit for Municipalities, Commissions, and Advocates
Fair Rent Commissions 101 from CT Fair Housing Center
Full list of CT Towns with FRC Ordinances
Fair Rent Commissions Across Connecticut
Fair Rent Commissions 101 Fact Sheet