April 17, 2025 - by Karla Ciaglo, CT News Junkie - HAMDEN, CT – As Connecticut's housing crisis deepens, lawmakers, advocates and residents gathered in Hamden this week for a public forum calling for legislative action to strengthen tenant protections and support people experiencing homelessness.
The event, Housing as a Human Right, was hosted by state Rep. Laurie Sweet, D-Hamden, and Hamden Councilwoman Sarah Gallagher.
The discussion centered around two key bills before the General Assembly: HB 6889, which would implement "Just Cause" eviction protections, and HB 7033, aimed at decriminalizing basic life-sustaining activities—such as sitting or sleeping in public—when individuals have no other place to go.
Sweet, who serves as vice chair of the recently formed Legislative Caucus to End Homelessness, said Hamden's "Housing as a Human Right" ordinance, which she called aspirational, is an important framework for the near future, especially considering the rising rates of homelessness in Connecticut.
"We all know that right now, in our country, housing is not a human right—but we want it to be," Sweet said. "What that meant for us as a council is really tying that thread of what can we do at the town level to move in that direction."
Under HB 6889, landlords would be required to provide a valid reason—such as nonpayment, lease violations, or reclaiming a unit for personal use—before terminating a lease. Currently, no-cause evictions allow landlords to non-renew leases without explanation, a practice that housing advocates say is often used to retaliate against tenants who report unsafe conditions or request repairs.
"Tenants speak up about mold or safety issues—and suddenly they're getting notices to vacate," said Alex Kolokotronis, director of the Naugatuck Valley Project and a longtime housing organizer. "Just Cause would stop that."
Kolokotronis said rising rents are being driven by institutional investors buying up entire neighborhoods, disrupting housing stability for renters and homeowners alike.
"The broader our protections, the more we can stabilize communities—and that benefits everyone," he said.
The second proposal, HB 6739, would prohibit municipalities from arresting or ticketing people for sleeping, sitting or lying down in public spaces when no shelter options are available.
"There will not be a penalty for engaging in basic life-sustaining activities," Gallagher said. "This bill doesn't legalize tent cities—it just says people shouldn't be arrested for existing outside when there are no alternatives."
Instead of issuing fines that unhoused individuals cannot afford, the legislation encourages municipalities to connect people to outreach workers and support services.
"What this legislation is intended to do is offer a different response," said Katie Rose, a housing advocate with lived experience. "It's an agreement among constituents that when someone is in need, the response should be compassionate and move them toward what they need—not penalize them for surviving."
Rose also noted that the approach builds on existing efforts. "The city has already been putting resources toward meeting that response," she said.
Rose said the measure is not only humane but fiscally sound.
"Hospitalization costs $3,300 a day. Incarceration is $282. Housing and case management is $62 a day," Rose said. "We would rather keep people out of the criminal justice system and get them on their feet."
The forum highlighted sobering data from Hamden and beyond. In the Greater New Haven area—including Hamden—more than 650 people are currently unhoused. Statewide, nearly 3,000 residents experience homelessness on any given night. A 2024 count revealed a 15% year-over-year increase. In 2023, Rose detailed how 12 people died from cold exposure, and one in four people seeking shelter were turned away.
"We are absolutely in a crisis," Gallagher said.
"The reason we've seen rising homelessness—and the reason we need tenant protections—is because housing has become so commodified," Rose said. "It's simply not profitable to build for people who need supportive services or rely on housing assistance. We treat housing like a commodity."
Panelists pointed to the steep financial barriers that make affordable housing development difficult, particularly for nonprofits.
Gallagher also stressed the growing burden on renters and homeowners alike.
"Forty-seven percent of renters are cost-burdened, and about 32% of homeowners are, too," she said. "That means they're paying more than 30% of their income toward housing."
Connecticut is facing a shortage of more than 85,000 affordable rental units. To afford a modest two-bedroom apartment, a renter must earn $27.37 per hour, far above the state's current minimum wage of $15.69. In Hamden, median rent exceeds $1,300, and eviction filings have steadily increased, particularly in communities of color.
"We know what works," Kolokotronis said, pointing to the success of pandemic-era rental assistance programs. "We just need the will to keep going."
All In Alliances
Please feel free to reach out with any questions you may have.
info@allinalliances.org
All In is a network of grassroots community organizing alliances in a growing number of Connecticut cities and towns. We are neighbors working together on affordable housing, food insecurity, and a place at the table in the decisions that affect our lives.
all materials copyright © 2025
All In Alliances