Create New Cost Effective Supportive Housing for Frequent Users of Expensive State Services.

With a modest investment in subsidies and services, the State will maximize federal, local and philanthropic support to immediately provide a home for families and individuals who would otherwise be homeless or in high cost institutional settings.

We are respectfully requesting that the legislature advance a bill that would promote supportive housing targeted for frequent users of expensive services and codify this new approach for creating supportive housing in legislation. This legislation will allow the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) to ensure that more people are stabilized in housing, lives are improved and the reliance on expensive state services is decreased. This flexible and innovative approach will house households immediately and result in savings in the current budget cycle.

Preserve the State Rental Assistance Program (RAP)

At this time of high demand for affordable rental housing and a tight market, it is critical that the legislature preserve all funding in the State Rental Assistance Program (RAP) at the Department of Social Services (DSS). The program currently houses 2,500 individuals and families through existing vouchers and is a vital tool for preventing and ending homelessness and/or institutionalization for people with disabilities. There are 2,400 households on the RAP waiting list with a wait time of three years.

Preserve HOMEConnecticut Funding

There continues to be enormous demand from municipalities for the HOMEConnecticut program. At this time, 50 towns representing all regions of the state are active under the HOMEConnecticut program. Planning of Incentive Housing Zones where town residents want them, and creating the housing the state needs for economic growth, serves municipal and state revenue and job goals. Allow use of the remaining $2 million originally appropriated in 2007 to finance planning grants and incentives.

Eliminating the HOMEConnecticut funds would prevent Connecticut from seeking the federal aid available under the HUD-EPA-DOT Partnership for Sustainable Communities, a pool of $150 million that the state is preparing to leverage. Federal HUD officials have expressed keen interest in the HOMEConnecticut program; maintaining it will create a magnet for federal housing, transportation and environmental protection funds under the Obama Administration's responsible growth agenda.

We also support preventing reductions in state funding for homelessness and housing services and expanding the number of rental assistance certificates.

For more information, contact: Diane Randall, Executive Director. diane@ctpartnershiphousing.com. 860-244-0066.

Pdf version of 2010 Legislative Agenda.