New State Program A Boon For CT Renters And Landlords

WILTON, CT — The state has launched a new program intended to provide financial assistance for qualified Connecticut rental households.

The program, UniteCT, may provide up to $10,000 in rental assistance and up to $1,500 in electric utility overdue payments to landlords and utility companies on behalf of approved tenants.

The program will financially support households up to 80 percent of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Area Median Income. A table of that information for all Connecticut towns is available online here.

Tenants and landlords will be able to complete and track applications online. Assistance will be available through a call center and at housing counseling agencies and other community partners across the state.

The program is funded by Connecticut's $235 million share of the $25 billion Congress appropriated for emergency rental and utility assistance in December's stimulus package.

"UniteCT provides Connecticut tenants and landlords a much-needed fresh start and further assistance so our families can get back on their feet without worrying about the roof over their heads," Gov. Ned Lamont said. "The pandemic exacerbated a national housing affordability crisis, especially for families of color who are more likely to rent their homes and more likely to have missed payments through no fault of their own."

The state is providing $1 million of the federal funding to Connecticut Legal Services to represent qualified households in housing court and is supporting undocumented renters through an additional $4 million in state funds.

"COVID-19 further exposed the mass housing inequities our country faces – and Connecticut is no exception," the members of the state's Congressional delegation said in a joint statement. "As folks try to navigate this pandemic, the last thing anyone should have to worry about is how they are going to keep a roof over their head or keep their lights on. The funding we passed in the COVID-19 relief bills helped launch UniteCT, which will provide resources to tenants in Connecticut to support housing stability and prevent utility shutoffs."

Last week, Congress appropriated an additional $21.55 billion for rental and utility assistance and $10 billion for homeowner assistance, as well as $4.5 billion for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program and $500 million to assist low-income households that pay a high proportion of their income for drinking water and wastewater services, as part of the American Rescue Plan.