Sec. 47a-54a. (Formerly Sec. 19-346). Overcrowding in tenement and lodging houses. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 47a-54a. (Formerly Sec. 19-346). Overcrowding in tenement and lodging houses. If a room in a tenement, lodging or boarding house is overcrowded, the board of health or other enforcing agency may order the number of persons sleeping or living in such room to be so reduced that there shall not be less than five hundred cubic feet of air to each person over twelve years of age who occupies such room, and three hundred cubic feet of air to each child under twelve years of age who occupies such room.

      (1949 Rev., S. 4053; 1963, P.A. 71; 1971, P.A. 194, S. 2; 1972, P.A. 178, S. 3; P.A. 79-571, S. 75.)

      History: 1963 act raised requirements for water closets or vaults from one for each two apartments of three rooms or less and one for each apartment of four or more rooms to same requirements for apartments of two and three rooms respectively; 1971 act required that paint on accessible surfaces not be cracked, chipped, blistered, etc. so as to be a health hazard; 1972 act added reference to authorities other than board of health which are granted enforcement powers; P.A. 79-571 removed specific requirements re bathrooms, halls, windows, walls etc., reincorporating deleted provisions in new sections which became Secs. 47a-54b to 47a-54f, substituted "enforcing agency" for "authority designated to enforce this part" and rephrased remaining provisions; Sec. 19-346 transferred to Sec. 47a-54a in 1981.

      See Sec. 19a-359 re required number of bathrooms and water closets in tenement houses.

      Annotations to former section 19-346:

      Applies to hallway in three-family dwelling house; liability of landlord for failure to light hall. 108 C. 404. Meaning of term "at night". Id., 405. The statute imposes upon the landlord the duty to use reasonable care and diligence to provide for lighting and to keep lights in operation during the night. 115 C. 233; 123 C. 337; 133 C. 357. Statute did not make it duty of landlord to light cellar at night; 111 C. 26; nor the steps outside the tenement house. 121 C. 261. Obligation to light public hall was a public obligation and could not be waived by tenant. 117 C. 356. Principle of assumption of risk held inapplicable. Id.; 133 C. 360. Local ordinance re lighting of hallways held inapplicable. 132 C. 418. Mere presence of lighting fixture not enough. Landlord must also use reasonable care and diligence to keep lights in operation and use care, commensurate with particular circumstances, to guard against the lights being turned out. 153 C. 92. Cited. Id., 540.

      Provisions of statute not applicable to the steps and lighting thereof furnishing an approach to a tenement house which are entirely outside the house itself. 5 CS 8. "Public halls" include exterior as well as interior passageways. 6 CS 368. Presence of unlighted fixture does not constitute compliance with statute nor exercise of reasonable care. Mere presence of lighting fixture in each hallway, connected with wiring of adjoining apartment and controlled by tenant at his option and expense, not compliance. 22 CS 184.