Committee on Administration, Finance, and Law and Public Services Meeting - April 2, 2025
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Committee on Administration, Finance, and Law and Public Services Meeting - April 2, 2025
The Committee on Administration, Finance, and Law and Public Services met on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at 6:30 PM in the Common Council Chambers, City Hall, 27 West Main Street, New Britain, Connecticut. The meeting included a public hearing and a regular agenda with three main items plus a tabled item. Key discussions centered on expanding the Fair Rent Commission's reach, a tax modification agreement for a major affordable housing project, and a proposed neighborhood flood relief initiative.
Consent Calendar
- Item 36686-2 – Minutes of Committee Meetings: The minutes were tabled after Alderman Santiago expressed concerns about staff capacity and the inability of the council office to handle additional work. A motion to table was made and seconded, and carried on a party-line vote with no roll call request.
Public Comments & Testimony
- The public hearing covered items 36736 (Fair Rent Commission amendment) and 36750 (tax modification for 321 Ellis Street). No members of the public spoke in person or called in. The hearing was closed at 6:34 PM.
Discussion Items
Item 36736: Amendment to Fair Rent Commission Ordinance
- Joe Hargraves, Human Rights and Opportunities Officer, explained that the current ordinance prevents the Fair Rent Commission from accepting a complaint if any eviction proceedings have begun, including issuance of a notice to quit. The amendment would allow tenants who receive a notice to quit to file a complaint, specifically for non-payment of rent cases, broadening access to the commission.
- Hargraves reported that complaint volume has increased from approximately 2 per year to 25 per year since he took on the role, and he currently has 4 open cases. He noted that tenants filing complaints are protected from retaliation for six months under state statute, and rent remains unchanged until a decision is made, with back pay owed if an increase is approved.
- Several aldermen expressed support, including Alderman Scott who described speaking daily with individuals at risk of homelessness and noted the change makes the commission more accessible. Alderman Simpson moved to refer the item with a favorable recommendation; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote with no opposition.
Item 36750: Tax Modification Agreement for 321 Ellis Street
- The request sought to start the 25-year tax abatement on October 1, 2024, instead of October 1, 2025, due to construction delays caused by additional contamination cleanup. Matthew Rabina, project manager for Winn Development, confirmed the project received its temporary certificate of occupancy the prior week and that residents were already moving in.
- Project details: 154 units, all income-restricted. Breakdown: 32 units at 30% area median income (AMI), 40 at 50% AMI, 29 at 60% AMI, and 53 at 80% AMI. Over 100 units are pre-leased, with 15 residents moved in and 10 more expected by Friday; the goal is 80 by end of April. Rabina noted over 1,000 applications were received.
- Alderman Scott raised concerns that individuals on Social Security earn too much for the deepest income-restricted units and that demand greatly exceeds supply. Rabina explained financing constraints prevent adding more low-income units.
- John Carriere, likely from economic development, explained the abatement: $600 per unit per year, totaling $92,400 annually, with a 3% yearly increment. The city previously collected less than half that amount on the vacant property.
- The motion to refer with a neutral recommendation passed unanimously by voice vote.
Tabled Item: Neighborhood Flood Relief Initiative (Item 36619)
- Alderman McNamara introduced a substitute resolution for a pilot program to assist owner-occupied households (1-3 units) with grants up to $7,500 for flood prevention improvements linked to stormwater sewer issues. The program would be administered by the Department of Public Works, modeled after Hartford's program.
- Income eligibility: 120% of area median income, with examples: single-person $87,000, two-person $100,000, five-person $135,000, six-person $145,000.
- Discussion focused on ensuring one award per household during the pilot to maximize reach. Aldermen expressed support for a prevention-focused approach. Funding would come from unassigned fund balance, grants, or fiscal year 2026 appropriations, up to $500,000.
- Alderman Russell moved to table the item to allow further amendments and to integrate into upcoming budget discussions; the motion passed by voice vote.
Key Outcomes
- Item 36686-2 (Minutes): Tabled via party-line vote.
- Item 36736 (Fair Rent Commission): Referred to Common Council with a favorable recommendation, passed unanimously.
- Item 36750 (Tax Modification for 321 Ellis Street): Referred to Common Council with a neutral recommendation, passed unanimously.
- Item 36619 (Neighborhood Flood Relief): Tabled for further amendments and budget integration.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, thank you. I call to order the April second, twenty twenty-five public hearing and regular meeting of the committee on administration, finance, and law and public services. The time is now six thirty-two PM. Um Miss Clerk, would you please kindly call the roll? Thank you. Alderman Santiago. Yes. I would like to make a motion to waive the reading of the legal notice. Seconded by uh Alderman Russell. We have a uh motion to waive the uh legal notice. All in favor say aye. All opposed, nay. Thank you. Having been noticed properly, we will begin the public hearing. Please remember to state your name and address for the public record and limit your speaking time to three minutes. The items on the public hearing agenda are three six seven three six to amend chapter two, Article uh nineteen of the code of ordinances regarding the Fair Rank Commission and item three six seven five zero amendment to the tax modification agreement for three two one Ellis Street. Are there any speakers on these items? Any speakers on these items for a third time. Any speakers on these items? All right, thank you. And anyone on the phones, thank you. Uh seeing no speakers, we will close public hearing and move on to the regular meeting. The time is now 6:34 p.m. The first item on the agenda is 36686-2. The meeting minutes of the common council committee meetings. May I have a motion? Mr. Chair. Uh Alderman Volent Spider. I move this item back to the council with a favorable recommendation. We have a second by Alderman uh Pavlone. Um motion to refer um being made. Any discussion? Mr. Santiago, Mr. Chair, we were doing item number one, right? That's correct. At the time when this was put in, it was some haste uh disagreements, and I feel that this we could wait to next year's when we put in for the the um wait. I mean again is we're at about five months in. We already have we have short staff, we don't have enough members to be able to go back and forth and do this. So I make a motion to table. I have a motion table. Is there a second? Second, seconded by Alderman McNamara. Motion of the table has discussion or no. All right. Um and uh seeing no roll call request. Uh I will make uh a motion table. Uh all in favor say aye. Aye.
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