Sec. 47a-69. Housing mediators. Appointment. Qualifications. Duties.
Sec. 47a-70. Housing docket. Entry and transfer of cases on docket.
Sec. 47a-71a. Connecticut Advisory Council on Housing Matters.
Sec. 47a-69. Housing mediators. Appointment. Qualifications. Duties. (a) The judges of the Superior Court or an authorized committee thereof may appoint such housing mediators as they deem necessary for the purpose of assisting the court in the prompt and efficient hearing of housing matters within the limit of their appropriation therefor. Such judges or such committee shall appoint not less than two such mediators for each of the judicial districts of Hartford, New Haven and Bridgeport and may designate one of them in each judicial district as chief housing mediator. Such judges or committee shall also appoint not less than three such housing mediators for all other judicial districts. The housing mediators for the judicial district of New Haven shall assist the court in the hearing of housing matters in the judicial district of Waterbury, the housing mediators for the judicial district of Hartford shall assist the court in the hearing of housing matters in the judicial district of New Britain and the housing mediators for the judicial district of Bridgeport shall assist the court in the hearing of housing matters in the judicial district of Stamford-Norwalk.
(b) Housing mediators shall be knowledgeable in the maintenance, repair and rehabilitation of dwelling units and the federal, state and municipal laws, ordinances, rules and regulations pertaining thereto. Housing mediators shall also have knowledge necessary to advise parties regarding the type of funds and services available to assist owners, landlords and tenants in the financing of resolutions to housing problems. Housing mediators shall make inspections and conduct investigations at the request of the court, shall advise parties in locating possible sources of financial assistance necessary to comply with orders of the court and shall exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as the judge may from time to time prescribe.
(c) Housing mediators (1) shall be responsible for the initial screening and evaluation of all contested housing matters eligible for placement on the housing docket pursuant to section 47a-68, (2) may conduct investigations of such matters including, but not limited to, interviews with the parties, and (3) may recommend settlements.
(P.A. 78-365, S. 2, 13; P.A. 80-448, S. 1, 8; P.A. 81-419, S. 1, 11; P.A. 82-461, S. 1, 15; P.A. 87-351, S. 1, 2; P.A. 88-230, S. 3, 12; P.A. 90-98, S. 1, 2; P.A. 93-142, S. 7, 8; P.A. 95-220, S. 4–6; P.A. 10-43, S. 14; P.A. 23-46, S. 35.)
History: P.A. 80-448 specified that housing specialists are responsible for screening and evaluating “contested” housing matters and replaced detailed provisions re specialists' investigatory powers and power to bring parties to nonjudicial settlement with general duties to conduct investigations and recommend settlements; P.A. 81-419 amended Subsec. (a) to provide for the appointment of two housing specialists for the judicial district of New Haven; P.A. 82-461 amended Subsec. (a) by requiring the appointment of housing specialists for the Fairfield judicial district and providing that the housing specialists for the New Haven and Fairfield judicial districts would assist in the hearing of housing matters in the Waterbury and Stamford-Norwalk judicial districts, respectively; P.A. 87-351 amended Subsec. (a) by requiring the appointment of not less than three housing specialists for all other judicial districts; P.A. 88-230 amended Subsec. (a) to replace “judicial district of Hartford-New Britain” with “judicial district of Hartford” and to add provision that the housing specialists for the judicial district of Hartford shall assist the court in the hearing of housing matters in the judicial district of New Britain, effective September 1, 1991; P.A. 90-98 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1991, to September 1, 1993; P.A. 93-142 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1993, to September 1, 1996, effective June 14, 1993; P.A. 95-220 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1996, to September 1, 1998, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 10-43 renamed chief housing specialist as chief housing mediator and housing specialists as housing mediators; P.A. 23-46 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing judicial district of Fairfield with judicial district of Bridgeport, effective January 1, 2024.
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Sec. 47a-70. Housing docket. Entry and transfer of cases on docket. (a) All proceedings involving a housing matter in the judicial district of Hartford, New Britain, New Haven, Bridgeport, Waterbury or Stamford-Norwalk shall first be placed on the housing docket for that district, provided the judge before whom such proceeding is brought may transfer such matter to the regular docket for a judicial district if he determines that such matter is not a housing matter or that such docket is more suitable for the disposition of the case. Any case so entered or transferred to either docket shall be proceeded upon as are other cases of like nature standing on such docket.
(b) If two or more actions are pending between the same parties, including for the purposes hereof any other court proceedings arising out of or connected with the same housing accommodation, of which one or more of such actions is on the housing docket and one or more of such actions is on some other docket, the judge handling such other docket, upon motion of any party to any of such actions, may order that the action pending on such docket, with all papers relating thereto, be transferred to the housing docket; and such action or actions shall thereafter proceed as though originally entered there.
(P.A. 78-365, S. 6, 13; P.A. 81-419, S. 2; P.A. 82-461, S. 2; P.A. 88-230, S. 4, 12; P.A. 90-98, S. 1, 2; P.A. 93-142, S. 7, 8; P.A. 95-220, S. 4–6; P.A. 17-99, S. 6; P.A. 23-46, S. 36.)
History: P.A. 81-419 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that proceedings involving a housing matter in the judicial district of New Haven be placed on the housing docket for that district; P.A. 82-461 amended Subsec. (a) by including Fairfield, Waterbury and Stamford-Norwalk as judicial districts having housing dockets; P.A. 88-230 amended Subsec. (a) to reflect the division of the judicial district of Hartford-New Britain into the separate judicial districts of Hartford and of New Britain, effective September 1, 1991; P.A. 90-98 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1991, to September 1, 1993; P.A. 93-142 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1993, to September 1, 1996, effective June 14, 1993; P.A. 95-220 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1996, to September 1, 1998, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 17-99 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting reference to geographical area re transfer of matter to regular docket; P.A. 23-46 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing judicial district of Fairfield with judicial district of Bridgeport and by making a technical change, effective January 1, 2024.
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Sec. 47a-71a. Connecticut Advisory Council on Housing Matters. There is hereby created the Connecticut Advisory Council on Housing Matters consisting of eighteen members. The members of the advisory council shall be appointed by the Governor for terms of four years, from July first of the year of their appointment. The advisory council shall consist of representatives of tenants, landlords, and others concerned with housing and shall reflect a balance of the interests of tenants and landlords. The members of the advisory council shall elect their own chairperson. Five members shall be residents of the judicial districts of Hartford or New Britain; five members shall be residents of the judicial districts of New Haven, Waterbury or Ansonia-Milford; five members shall be residents of the judicial districts of Bridgeport or Stamford-Norwalk; and three members shall be residents of the judicial districts of Danbury, Litchfield, Middlesex, New London, Tolland or Windham. Any member who fails to attend three consecutive meetings or who fails to attend fifty per cent of all meetings held during any calendar year shall be deemed to have resigned from office. Any vacancy in the membership of the advisory council shall be filled by the Governor for the unexpired portion of the term.
(P.A. 83-497, S. 2; P.A. 87-249; P.A. 88-230, S. 5, 12; P.A. 90-98, S. 1, 2; P. A. 93-142, S. 7, 8; P.A. 95-220, S. 4–6; P.A. 13-299, S. 35; P.A. 14-4, S. 1; P.A. 23-46, S. 37.)
History: P.A. 87-249 increased membership from 27 to 36 persons, established residency requirement for the 9 additional members and added attendance requirement for all members; P.A. 88-230 replaced requirement that nine members be residents of “the judicial district of Hartford-New Britain” with requirement that they be residents of the “judicial districts of Hartford or New Britain” to reflect the division of the judicial district of Hartford-New Britain into two separate judicial districts, effective September 1, 1991; P.A. 90-98 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1991, to September 1, 1993; P.A. 93-142 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1993, to September 1, 1996, effective June 14, 1993; P.A. 95-220 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1996, to September 1, 1998, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 13-299 replaced provisions re Citizens Advisory Council for Housing Matters with provisions re Advisory Council to the Superior Court Housing Session, decreased membership from 36 to 12 members, added provision re term to commence July first of the year of appointment, decreased number of members from each judicial district from 9 to 3, added provision re vacancies to be filled by Governor for unexpired portion of term, and made a technical change, effective July 1, 2013; P.A. 14-4 replaced reference to Advisory Council to the Superior Court Housing Session with reference to Connecticut Advisory Council on Housing Matters, increased membership from 12 to 18 members, increased number of members from 3 of the judicial districts from 3 to 5, and made technical changes, effective July 1, 2014; P.A. 23-46 replaced judicial districts of Fairfield with judicial districts of Bridgeport, effective January 1, 2024.
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