Property Rights of Owners are Limited and will be proposed tonight By The Common Council

New Britain Council Considers Stripping Property Owners of Rights


September 17, New Britain, CT – New Britain’s Common Council will be considering a new ordinance this Monday at a special meeting of the Common Council that would impose heavy restrictions on landlords, including charging them a 5% “fee” based on the rent charged. Local property owners are outraged and property and business groups are up in arms.

“This fee is nothing more a targeted tax that will impact rental property owners here in New Britain, the City is, in effect, trying to control every aspect of the rental market through the government” said Nicholas Mercier, President of the Citizens’ Property Owners Association of New Britain. Mercier pointed to an earlier draft version of the resolution which included a percentage cap on what property owners could even charge. “It was removed because it is likely unconstitutional” said Pete Gostin, local property owner and Registrar of Voters, “They know what they are doing is wrong and so they are back pedaling.”

This ordinance comes on the heels of other actions the Common Council has proposed lately that have been seen as anti-business and anti-landlord. Among these include the Fair Rent Commission which would limit a landlord’s ability to increase rent in response to additional costs and expenses and Police and Fire Hotspot Fines which would see landlords charged for excessive calls, even if the calls were in response to tenant behavior.

“I’m alarmed at how this is being presented to the public” said Alderman Jamie Giantonio. “We were informed about a special meeting this weekend and just this morning we were given a revised resolution. The public has had little time to comment on this.” Council rules do not allow for public comment to be given at special sessions. Mercier thinks it is against the public best interest. “They are proposing a massive change to the city ordinances which will cost some property owners thousands each year and they are doing it in a special session with no public comment. It is slap in the face of voters.” He added, “There is no regard for the renters either. If these fees were passed on to renters they could all see a 5% or more increase in their monthly rents.”

The Planning, Zoning and Housing Committee will meet in special session at 8:00PM in the Council Chambers of New Britain City Hall to discuss the ordinance. It is predicted it will then be forwarded to the as special meeting of the Common Council which is scheduled to begin at 8:05PM in the same room.