When Norwalk resident John Levin moved to the city, he and his wife rented out rooms in their home to earn a little extra income.
“We found roommates to share it with, who could pay us rent and help to make our newly purchased home more affordable for us,” Levin said. “We did it for a few years, and it worked great.”
While legal in Norwalk, that setup isn’t legal in every municipality. State lawmakers are now considering a bill that would allow bedroom rentals statewide.
“My first thought was, why is this even necessary? Of course, homeowners can rent out spare bedrooms to tenants of their choice,” Levin said. “Our state needs housing solutions. This bill helps and it costs nothing. I'm sort of shaking my head. How is this not a no brainer?”
Proponents of the bill say it would unlock an underutilized part of the state’s housing stock and help support residents with limited income.
The so-called “Golden Girls” bill would allow homeowners to rent out up to three of their bedrooms, without requiring local government approval.
The bill was designed by Pro-Homes Connecticut, formerly known as Desegregate CT. Nick Kantor, the program director, said the bill is ideal for empty-nesters or older adults who want to make use of vacant bedrooms in their homes.
“This allows homeowners, particularly those on fixed incomes, to generate extra income they need to stay in their homes while providing more affordable housing to others, all without a single dollar of taxpayer subsidy,” Kantor said. “Thank you for being a friend.”
The buildings would still need to abide by the local fire and safety codes, and the homeowner must also be a permanent resident of the home.
Some lawmakers and housing providers question how this bill would differ from boarding house laws.
Others, like Jim Heckman, who provides general counsel for the Connecticut Realtors Association, have expressed safety concerns, specifically surrounding those who rent out illegal basement or attic apartments. Heckman submitted written testimony to be read before state lawmakers which said in part.
“The bill permits up to three bedrooms in a home to be used for long-term rentals, yet provides no guidance on shared bathroom access, utility allocation, or the cumulative infrastructure impact of significantly increased occupancy granted ‘as of right,’” Heckman said.
