HARTFORD, CT – Connecticut’s congressional delegation announced this week that the state would receive over $535 million from the federal government to help provide housing choice vouchers Connecticut residents in the face of an ongoing housing crisis.
“Federal Housing Choice Vouchers are a lifeline to vulnerable families and individuals through access to stable, affordable housing. The research shows these children have higher educational outcomes,” said Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-CT. “This monumental investment in Connecticut public housing authorities will ensure more families have the stability of having a roof over their heads.”
The funds come from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Housing Choice Voucher Program, commonly known as Section 8. The program has provided rental subsidies for low income families for 50 years since its inception in 1974.
Connecticut’s federal elected officials celebrated the announcement as a win for the state.
“This $535 million in federal funding for housing vouchers will help Connecticut residents access and afford safe, appropriate housing in neighborhoods with better schools and more job opportunities. I will continue to fight for more federal resources to alleviate the pressures of housing for our residents,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal said in a joint statement.
Sen. Chris Murphy echoed those sentiments, saying that the money would connect more people to affordable housing and promote economic stability and opportunity across the state.
The Section 8 voucher program has seen its funding grow over the last two years by nearly 20% in an attempt to keep pace with rising rental costs.
“The [Housing Choice Voucher] program is the most successful rental program ever conceived,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing Richard J. Monocchio. “Not only do housing vouchers free up income for basic needs, but when families are able to live in stable, affordable housing in low-poverty communities, we see higher cognitive test scores and educational outcomes for children and increased chances of attending college and earning more as adults.”
Despite the success of the program, it has continued to face challenges in terms of funding and timely delivery of services. According to data gathered by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the average wait time to even receive a Section 8 voucher in Connecticut is 29 months. This does not take into account more time spent finding a landlord who will accept the voucher. Private landlords in Connecticut are required to accept Section 8 vouchers, but reporting by the New Haven Independent has found that voucher recipients often face difficulty in finding suitable housing.
Connecticut and a handful of other states have tried to address the shortfall of the federal Section 8 program by instituting their own state-funded rental subsidy programs. The state began its Rental Assistance Program (RAP) as a pilot in 1985 in New Haven, Cheshire, and Meriden. By 1987, the program had been made permanent and expanded to cover the whole state.
The RAP has faced ups and downs and saw its funding cut during the Rowland administration.
Advocates called for a $16 million increase to the program at the beginning of this year’s legislative session, but did not receive the funding they requested. The gap between the availability of rental assistance and the need is vast; according to data from the Partnership for Strong Communities, Connecticut only has 6,500 active housing vouchers, which covers only 5% of the need. The demand for the vouchers is so great that the state has only opened the RAP waiting list twice in the last 17 years.
The full list of housing authorities receiving funding:
Housing Authority 2024 Funding Connecticut Department of Housing $105,108,051 City of New Haven $98,007,132 City of Hartford $55,203,450 Bridgeport $43,582,594 Stamford $29,528,723 Hartford Housing Authority $23,437,682 Waterbury $21,889,275 West Haven $17,895,867 Norwalk $17,403,947 Danbury $11,604,546 Meriden $11,342,467 Ansonia $9,123,386 Middletown $8,967,004 New Britain $8,296,206 Bristol $8,172,845 West Hartford $7,411,188 Greenwich $6,603,425 Manchester $5,756,426 Norwich $5,023,312 Willimantic $4,420,766 Stratford $4,048,763 East Hartford $3,738,398 Vernon/Rockville $3,638,690 Fairfield $3,286,475 Hamden $3,204,259 Derby $3,006,534 Naugatuck $2,584,821 Milford Redevelopment & Housing Partners $2,257,202 Plainfield $1,596,187 Enfield $1,579,925 Mansfield $1,414,509 Windsor $1,413,937 Newington $1,413,937 Windsor Locks $1,388,455 Torrington $1,301,589 Farmington $1,236,439 Wallingford $1,172,216 Killingly $824,025 Portland $721,565 East Haven $570,082 Wethersfield $545,678 South Windsor $420,150 Glastonbury $342,479 Putnam $234,435 Canton $189,980 Total $535,885,710
