CT rental assistance program funding is inadequate

The Fairfield Housing Authority recently accepted housing applications for the 90 units we operate. We received approximately 4,000 applications, which had to be mailed to our offices.

If we had a web-based application process I suspect we would have received well over 8,000 applications. The Westport Housing Authority oversees 221 affordable homes in Westport. Last summer we accepted housing applications for three weeks. We received approximately 7,000 applications.

There is no question that Connecticut is in an affordable housing crisis and has been even pre-pandemic. The pandemic response by state leadership was to use federal funds to provide temporary rental assistance to keep residents housed and healthy. It worked. Rental assistance is the most efficient use of public resources to house families. It is the backbone of housing stability for our elderly, disabled, veterans and working class single-income families.

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As being reported, Gov. Ned Lamont (per Chris Collibee, OPM Communication’s Director) wants a balanced budget , which means in many cases, no increases in spending. We all support that goal. However, with the rent increases we have seen over the last couple of years (20% increase since 2021), rental assistance must be increased. If we do not increase the funding of the State’s Rental Assistance Program (RAP), we will be increasing housing instability (homelessness) for state residents and a large portion of families affected will be our most vulnerable neighbors.

All of us understand that this is completely unacceptable in a state that is small enough in population to end housing instability and homelessness. This is a choice that our governor and our elected officials will need to make. Keeping the RAP funded at the same amount as the previous year ignores or otherwise dismisses what is actually going on in the state’s rental market. Rents continue to increase, so the funding needs to increase. Unless that happens, families will continue to experience involuntary displacement from their homes and children will be displaced from their schools, friends and neighborhoods. The fortunate ones may find another apartment or be able to move in with a family member. However, the vast majority of elderly, disabled and others will enter the homeless system. The outcome of not increasing Connecticut’s Rental Assistance Program is not in question. It is a house of cards.

Gov. Ned Lamont, Rep. Matt Ritter, Rep. Jason Rojas, Sen. Martin Looney, Sen. Bob Duff, Rep. Vincent Candelora, Sen. Stephen Harding, and Sen. Henri Martin, if we can’t find a way to fund the Rental Assistance Program within the budget process, then we must use the remaining ARPA funds (re-allocation) to fund it for the upcoming budget year, as a stop gap measure.

Let’s collectively work on the amount of the increase to the Rental Assistance Program and find the source(s) that fiscally makes sense at this point in time. Most importantly, let’s choose housing stability for the great residents of this state.

Carol J. Martin is Executive Director of the Fairfield Housing Authority and Westport Housing Authority.