A proposed bill at the state legislature would reduce the amount of money that 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 landlords can charge for security deposits, but faces heated opposition from rental owners and conservative lawmakers.
Under current state law, landlords can require two months鈥� rent as a security deposit for tenants under the age of 62, according to Department of Housing (DOH) Commissioner Seila Mosquera-Bruno.
DOH that would limit security deposits to one month of rent.
Mosquera-Bruno said her background as a nonprofit affordable housing developer and landlord helped guide the bill鈥檚 formation. As a landlord, Mosquera-Bruno said she charged tenants a security deposit of one month鈥檚 rent.
鈥淎 one-month security deposit will help a family, especially with the rents, how expensive they are right now,鈥� Mosquera-Bruno said. 鈥淎 single mom with two kids, paying $2,000 for a month, and then they have to come out with another $4,000. It's pretty dramatic economically for those families.鈥�
Mosquera-Bruno was one of more than during a public hearing Tuesday addressing dozens of bills up for consideration by the state鈥檚 Housing Committee.
Advocates say the bill would make it easier for renters with limited income to afford apartments and prevent landlords from taking advantage of tenants.
Bill opponents include Republican lawmakers and landlords. They say a single month鈥檚 rent as security deposit is often insufficient to cover tenant damages and could discourage landlords from working with renters who have poor credit or rental history.
Landlords with the 黑料吃瓜网 Apartment Association consider the bill anti-tenant for the same reasons.
Republican Rep. Tony Scott, who represents parts of eastern Fairfield County, worries the bill would hurt vulnerable renters.
鈥淭hose tenants are actually gonna be left out because they don't have the ability to say, 鈥楾rust me, take my word and, oh yeah, here's two months security deposit instead of one,鈥欌�� Scott said. 鈥淢aybe they're not gonna take a risk on that individual candidate. They're going to go with someone else who they think is less of a risk.鈥�
