Myths and the Mission of Greenwich’s Fair Rent Commission

The high price of real estate in Greenwich is a constant theme of conversation, including the rising cost of rent.

But the work of Greenwich’s Fair Rent Commission is less familiar, and perhaps misunderstood.

The commission has nothing to do with “rent control.” They don’t cap or freeze rents.

The commission is a way for tenants to challenge excessive rents. 

Commission members Blaise Punturo and Richard Saunders recently explained that their volunteer commission investigates tenant complaints and holds hearings.

The commission has seven members and three alternates. Terms are three years.

The commission was formed in response to a state law passed in 2022 (Public Act 22-30) requiring all municipalities with populations over 25,000 to create a Fair Rent Commission.

“We were the last of the municipalities in Connecticut with populations over 25,000 to be approved,” Mr. Punturo said. “We came into being in 2024.”

More recently, under Public Act 25-1, passed in November 2025, the threshold was lowered to municipalities with over 15,000 residents.

Harsh and Unconscionable?

The way the process works is a tenant files a complaint. The landlord responds with a rebuttal, which often details how much they have spent to maintain and repair the rental unit.

Before a complaint goes before the commission, there is a mediation process involving the Commissioner of the Dept of Human Services, Demetria Nelson.

Mr. Saunders said if the parties involved cannot reach an agreement during the mediation process, the next step is a chance to appear before the Fair Rent Commission.

Both the landlord and tenant appear before the commission. Time is allocated equally between them.

The commission decides, case-by-case, whether a particular rent increase is “harsh and unconscionable” or “fair and equitable” based on factors like operating costs, repairs, and comparable units.

“These are uncanny times, with inflation and high costs,” Punturo said. “You’re going to have both good and bad landlords, and good and bad tenants.”

13 Statutory Considerations

There are 13 standards that help determine when a rent increase meets that high bar of ‘harsh and unconscionable’ or if it is ‘fair and equitable.’

The most important are size of the rent increase, the condition of the premises, the landlord’s operating costs, and the services included in the rent (e.g. heat and utilities).

The commission also looks at comparable units in the area.

“These considerations allow us to examine the circumstances of each case, including property expenses, market conditions, tenant circumstances, and the overall reasonableness of a proposed increase,” Punturo said.

“Is the property being let go? Are repairs not being made?” Punturo said. “It’s got to be livable.”

C.G.S. 7-148c lists 13 statutory standards must be considered if applicable:

(1) The rents charged for the same number of rooms in other housing accommodations in the same and in other areas of the municipality;

(2) the sanitary conditions existing in the housing accommodations in question;

(3) the number of bathtubs or showers, flush water closets, kitchen sinks and lavatory basins available to the occupants thereof;

(4) services, furniture, furnishings and equipment supplied therein;

(5) the size and number of bedrooms contained therein;

(6) repairs necessary to make such accommodations reasonably livable for the occupants accommodated therein;

(7) the amount of taxes and overhead expenses, including debt service, thereof;

(8) whether the accommodations are in compliance with the ordinances of the municipality and the general statutes relating to health and safety;

(9) the income of the petitioner and the availability of accommodations;

(10) the availability of utilities;

(11) damages done to the premises by the tenant, caused by other than ordinary wear and tear;

(12) the amount and frequency of increases in rental charges;

(13) whether, and the extent to which, the income from an increase in rental charges has been or will be reinvested in improvements to the accommodations.

Saunders said the complaint process gives a tenant protection from retaliation from the landlord.

“The tenant gets a six-month stay from the time they fill out the forms with the town. During that time they can stay in place, paying rent. And the landlord can’t implement the rent increase during that time,” he added. “Especially now, we’re focusing on senior citizens.”

Protective Tenancy for Elderly

Under state law, residents age 62+ living in buildings with 5 or more units are considered a protected class.

Per (CGS) §47a-23c, tenants who are 62 or older, blind, or permanently disabled receive strong statutory protections against standard “lapse of time” or no-fault evictions.

Landlords cannot evict protected elderly tenants simply because a lease has expired or is month-to-month. They must prove “good cause.”

Mr. Saunders explained ‘protective tenancy,’ saying, “In these circumstances, there is a prohibition on eviction except for good, or legally sufficient, cause. It typically comes up when a lease expires or has expired. At this time, the lease expiration alone is not generally sufficient grounds for eviction.”

However, the landlord may still have grounds to evict, for example, for nonpayment of rent and material lease violations.

“Our objective is not to discourage responsible property ownership or appropriate rental adjustments, but rather to promote fairness, transparency, and a balanced approach that protects both tenants and landlords,” Saunders said.

Increase in Cases

In Greenwich during FY 2026, eight out of 18 cases were resolved by mediation with Human Services Commissioner Ms Nelson.

Six escalated to hearings before the Fair Rent Commission.

Three were withdrawn and one did not meet criteria.

Punturo and Saunders joked that their volunteer work on the commission has become a full time job, especially given the increase in the number of cases.

“We take this seriously,” Punturo said.

“The more units in town, the more applications we’ll see,” Saunders said of the increased workload.

“In the beginning, we didn’t have a lot of cases,” he said, adding that while the work is time consuming, it is important.

Mr. Saunders said people are looking more closely at their monthly outlays.

“Everyone is getting much more focused on the cost of living,” Saunders said. “Whether the restaurant trade is impacted, or retail, the person has to have the funds to go out and rent, and if it increases too much, they’ll look for a reasonable mediation and that will be their own definition. If they get as far as us, we decide if that’s the case.”

Saunders also cited the “30% rule,” which is a personal finance guideline that a renter should spend no more than 30% of their gross monthly income on rent and basic utilities.

He said the complaint process is a chance for a tenant to make their case and be listened to, and for the landlord to have a say.

“You feel for both sides because everything is costly and the federal government has cut some of the services, and they have limitations. Even with Section 8 units, the landlord can try to jack up the rent,” Saunders said.

At the end of the day, the most common decisions of the Fair Rent Commission are:

• A rent increase is reduced or denied.
• The landlord is required to phase in a rent increase.
• A rent increase is delayed until the landlord has complied with health and safety requirements or has made necessary repairs.
• The tenant’s claim is denied

Nov 3, 2026 Information Session

Mr. Saunders and Mr. Punturo will be meeting on Nov 3 at 10:00amat Cohen Eastern Greenwich Civic Center to talk about how the Fair Rent Commission can help people.

To file a complaint with the Fair Rent Commission, visit the Greenwich Fair Rent Commission.