(a) For purposes of this section and sections 7-148c to 7-148f, inclusive, “seasonal basis” means housing accommodations rented for a period or periods aggregating not more than one hundred twenty days in any one calendar year and “rental charge” includes any fee or charge in addition to rent that is imposed or sought to be imposed upon a tenant by a landlord.

(b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, any town, city or borough may, through its legislative body, create a fair rent commission to make studies and investigations, conduct hearings and receive complaints relative to rental charges on housing accommodations, except those accommodations rented on a seasonal basis, within its jurisdiction, which term shall include mobile manufactured homes and mobile manufactured home park lots, in order to control and eliminate excessive rental charges on such accommodations, and to carry out the provisions of sections 7-148b to 7-148f, inclusive, section 47a-20 and subsection (b) of section 47a-23c. The commission, for such purposes, may compel the attendance of persons at hearings, issue subpoenas and administer oaths, issue orders and continue, review, amend, terminate or suspend any of its orders and decisions. The commission may be empowered to retain legal counsel to advise it.

(c) Any town, city or borough in which the number of renter-occupied dwelling units is greater than five thousand, as determined by the most recent decennial census, and which does not have a fair rent commission on October 1, 1989, shall, on or before June 1, 1990, conduct a public hearing or public hearings and decide by majority vote of its legislative body whether to create a fair rent commission as provided in subsection (a) of this section. Any such town, city or borough which fails to act pursuant to the requirements of this subsection shall, not later than June 1, 1991, create such fair rent commission.

(d) Any two or more towns, cities or boroughs not subject to the requirements of subsection (c) of this section may, through their legislative bodies, create a joint fair rent commission.

(1969, P.A. 274, S. 1; 1971, P.A. 478, S. 1; 1972, P.A. 160, S. 1; P.A. 81-472, S. 101, 159; P.A. 82-356, S. 8, 14; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-3, S. 1; P.A. 89-289; P.A. 05-288, S. 40; P.A. 13-36, S. 1.)

History: 1971 act specified applicability to housing accommodations rather than “property”, including mobile homes and lots and excluding seasonal accommodations which were defined in new Subsec. (b); 1972 act added power to carry out provisions of Secs. 7-148b to 7-148e, to issue, amend, terminate, etc. orders and to retain legal counsel; P.A. 81-472 substituted reference to Sec. 47a-20 for reference to Sec. 19-375a, reflecting section's transfer; P.A. 82-356 amended Subsec. (a) to authorize a fair rent commission to carry out the provisions of Sec. 47a-23c(b); June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-3 changed terms “mobile home” and “mobile manufactured homes” to “mobile manufactured home” and “mobile manufactured homes”; P.A. 89-289 added Subsec. (c) re creation of fair rent commissions in municipalities having more than 5,000 renter-occupied dwelling units and added Subsec. (d) re creation of joint fair rent commissions; P.A. 05-288 made a technical change in Subsecs. (a), (b) and (d), effective July 13, 2005; P.A. 13-36 added new Subsec. (a) defining “seasonal basis” and “rental charge” for purposes of section and Secs. 7-148c to 7-148f, redesignated existing Subsec. (a) as Subsec. (b) and deleted former Subsec. (b) re definition of “seasonal basis”.