East Lyme ― Time is running out for John Vasko.

The rent for the Navy veteran’s one-bedroom, 616-square-foot apartment in Windward Village is set to jump $900 at the end of the month. Similar price hikes have swept through his Niantic apartment complex like a tidal wave since the property was bought up in June by a real estate investment firm, affecting tenants on a rolling basis as their leases expire.

He told members of the Board of Selectmen Wednesday that the town needs to establish a Fair Rent Commission without delay. The move would allow him to bring his complaint about the rent increase to a volunteer group with the power to investigate, hold hearings, and order landlords to reduce or phase in rent for specific reasons.

Vasko, 74, is a Navy veteran who served two tours in Vietnam helping to launch aircraft from the USS America carrier.

“I fought for people overseas,” he told selectmen. “I want someone to fight for us. We need it today.”

After an hour of pleas from Vasko and his neighbors, they were assured by First Selectman Dan Cunningham that a draft ordinance establishing the commission would be available as soon as it was approved by town attorneys.

“We understand the urgency of moving this forward,” Cunningham said. “I will take all necessary steps to move this along.”

Cunningham has now set a special meeting for noon Friday, during which selectmen could discuss an attorney-approved draft ordinance and vote to send it to a public hearing.

Municipalities with more than 25,000 residents are required to have fair rent commissions, but it remains optional for East Lyme’s 18,788 residents.

A just cause

The only recourse currently available to Vasko and residents 62 or older is through the court system, which is an expensive and time-consuming process. Tenants younger than that don’t even fall under the state’s just-cause eviction law protecting renters from unreasonable rent increases.

Residents have said about two-thirds of the Windward Village population are elderly.

Alicia Chandler, a six-year tenant of Windward who described herself as a young professional, described fair rent commissions as an equalizing force.

She said provisions in existing state law don’t apply to a wide swath of residents including younger people, single parents, working families or disabled tenants who many not be considered fully disabled.

“With this commission being established, everyone can have protection and have a better fight for staying in their home,” she said.

Windward Village tenants in the standing-room-only crowd in the Town Hall meeting room said they are being forced to move out of town, and sometimes the state, because there are no nearby rentals they can afford.

The Shelton-based Alpha Capital Funds real estate investment firm bought the 60-unit Windward Village complex on Main Street in June for $8.4 million. The company in a social media post predicted the complex would be worth $14 million by the time all the rent increases kick in and improvements to the property are completed.

The company boasts 380 units across the state, including a recent New London acquisition with 45 units in three buildings.

Setting the tone

Connecticut Legal Services staff attorney Christopher Carlson said the housing crisis is dominated by systemic issues that are going to take years to solve. He said statistics show there are 98,144 more low-income families in the state than there are affordable places for them to live.

While the crisis is daunting, he said establishing a Fair Rent Commission is one immediate step a town can take to keep people in their homes.

“Fair Rent Commissions can be established quickly,” he said. “And they make a difference.”

He described large-scale investment firms as “industrial landlords” with whom it can be difficult for tenants to communicate.

“Landlords in towns like Groton with fair rent commissions know they have to account for their rent increases,” he said. “So when I help seniors in those towns, we know we can bargain with an industrial landlord in a fair and even way.”

Beth Sabilia, director of the Center for Housing Equity and Opportunity Eastern CT, emphasized the urgency of the situation as more residents face expiring leases and the resulting rent increase with each passing month.

“There’s absolutely no reason that this should be drawn out or take much longer than absolutely necessary,” she said. “These people don’t have a year. They simply don’t have a year.”

Selectwoman Candice Carlson supported an expedited process.

The town charter empowers selectmen to enact ordinances after a public hearing is held, which must be scheduled to give the public at least 10 days’ notice. The selectman can vote on the ordinance immediately after the public weighs in.

Ordinances go into effect no sooner than 10 days after being filed with the Town Clerk.

“I think it's up for us to set the tone here in East Lyme that this type of behavior isn't something that we want here,” she said. “We don't want anybody to be treated like that. The increases are completely unjustifiable.”

e.regan@theday.com

Editor’s note: This article was updated to correct details about Vasko’s military service.