Connecticut

NLIHC has estimated a need for no less than $100 billion in emergency rental assistance and broke down the need and cost for each state (download Excel spreadsheet). 

In response to COVID-19 and its economic fallout, many cities and states are creating or expanding rental assistance programs to support individuals and families impacted by the pandemic, and NLIHC is tracking in-depth information on these programs.  

You can use the interactive map and searchable database to find state and local emergency rental assistance programs near you. You can also see the latest news on rental assistance programs through the state-by-state news tracker. Note that this is not a comprehensive list of all rental assistance programs as we continue to update frequently. If you are aware of a program not included in our database, please contact [email protected]. 

COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Programs

Across the country, homeless service providers are struggling to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to follow public health guidelines and help ensure people’s safety, some shelters are being forced to reduce services, restrict admittance, or close entirely. The loss of these critical resources puts people experiencing homelessness at even higher risk of illness. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of shelter closings.

Below is a list of shelters that have had to majorly alter services or completely close:

No information at this time. 

According to an analysis by Connecticut Public Radio, no-fault evictions increased during the pandemic. Pre-pandemic, one out of every four people in housing court faced a no-fault eviction; now, one in two households does.

Between mid-March and early April 2022, eviction filings in Hartford more than doubled compared to the city’s pre-pandemic average. Advocates attribute the sharp rise in evictions to emergency rental assistance (ERA) funds running out. UniteCT, the statewide ERA program, is one of over 100 programs that are either closed or on hold due to lack of funds.  “[ERA] has kept people who otherwise would have lost their homes during the pandemic stably housed,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel. “But now those resources are depleted, and we’re seeing more renters again struggling to make ends meet and keep a roof over their heads.”

According to the CT Mirror, Connecticut pulled more than 20,000 incomplete rental assistance applications from consideration last week, the vast majority of which lacked information about only one party. About 10,700 applications were closed because tenants were waiting for their landlords to complete the applications.

Reflecting statewide trends, evictions in Meriden are on the rise after state and federal eviction moratoriums ended in the fall of 2021. Monthly case reports show eviction rates comparable to pre-pandemic levels.

Updated on May 23, 2022

Evictions are on the rise in Connecticut as the state cuts back on staffing for its rental assistance program due to a lack of funding. Advocates fear the situation will worsen in February when an executive order issued by Governor Ned Lamont expires, reducing the number of days landlords must give tenants notice before evicting them to just three.

Updated on January 31, 2022

The New Haven Independent reports a Connecticut housing court judge rejected a landlord’s attempt to evict a tenant instead of accepting state emergency rental assistance (ERA) funds. State Superior Court Judge John Cirello ruled that a property owner who has applied to Connecticut’s ERA program cannot simply change their mind after that application has been approved by the state.

Updated on December 13, 2021

The CT Post reports that eviction numbers have increased from earlier in the pandemic. In July, there were about 395 eviction filings, while as of September 22, it is up to 658 for the month. Connecticut’s statewide eviction moratorium ended in July 2021. 

Updated on October 5, 2021

Governor Ned Lamont signaled on September 2 he would look to extend at least one of his emergency orders beyond its September 30 expiration date to preserve an eviction diversion policy. Governor Lamont told News8 he will ask the legislature to extend his executive order requiring landlords to offer state assistance before sending an eviction notice.

Updated on September 14, 2021

Judges in Connecticut signed a surge of orders allowing state marshals to evict tenants during the two days in which the federal eviction moratorium was lifted. Nearly all of the 154 evictions granted during the two-day lift were in high-poverty communities of color. 
Updated on August 30, 2021

Connecticut housing advocates expect a surge of evictions and rise in homelessness when the federal eviction moratorium expires. The state developed the UniteCT Program to distribute roughly $400 million in federal emergency rental assistance. About $17.3 million had been approved for 2,352 households as of June 23. Advocates are urging state officials to require landlords to participate in the rental assistance program, noting that some are starting to evict tenants before applying for assistance.
Updated on July 26, 2021

Connecticut’s statewide eviction moratorium expired on June 30, and housing advocates at the Connecticut Fair Housing Center are concerned about the more than 130,000 tenants who are behind on rent. The Connecticut Department of Housing is trying to accelerate distribution of emergency rental assistance (ERA). As of June 29, the state had authorized $21.9 million in payments to resolve 2,921 of the 19,455 applications for aid to UniteCT, a rent and utility assistance program.
Updated on July 15, 2021

The Connecticut Mirror reports that the Connecticut House of Representatives voted on May 11 to provide attorneys for low-income tenants facing eviction. If passed in the Senate and signed into law by Governor Lamont, Connecticut will become one of the first states to provide the right to counsel. Funding for the first two years of the program is expected to come from federal COVID-19 relief funds. Governor Lamont recommended the legislature allocate $20 million to provide legal representation for 12,000 people facing eviction over the next two years. 
Updated on June 4, 2021

Governor Ned Lamont extended Connecticut’s statewide eviction moratorium until the public health emergency expires on May 20. The moratorium was set to expire on April 20. Advocates say the state moratorium has not completely halted evictions due to built-in exceptions that allow landlords to evict tenants if they are at least six months behind on rent or if the landlord wants to use the unit as their primary residence.

Updated on April 28, 2021

The CT Mirror reports that state lawmakers are considering legislation that would provide Connecticut tenants with a right-to-counsel. Of the 180 cases where a judge approved an eviction request in February 2021, 158 landlords had an attorney compared to just 10 tenants. Connecticut is one of seven states currently contemplating providing universal access to legal aid for low-income tenants facing eviction. The right-to-counsel movement has been gaining momentum across the United States amid the looming COVID-19 eviction crisis. 

Updated on March 08, 2021

A “no-freeze” shelter in Danielson has been able to accommodate the number of clients who seek shelter, but the prospect of the federal eviction moratorium ending has shelter providers concerned about a potential surge of newly-homeless residents.

Updated on February 22, 2021

Many Connecticut renters are experiencing housing instability, even as the federal and state eviction moratoriums have been extended. Between 77,000 and 161,000 people in Connecticut are at risk for eviction. Connecticut’s moratorium expires on February 9.

Updated on February 01, 2021

Connecticut housing advocates, anticipating a tsunami of evictions, are urging state officials to pass right to counsel legislation guaranteeing the right to free legal representation to all tenants facing eviction.

Updated on January 25, 2021

Without federal intervention, a tsunami of Connecticut residents – disproportionately Black and Latino renters – are expected to lose their homes in January. While Governor Ned Lamont’s administration has said it is committed to preventing evictions, there do not appear to be any immediate plans to extend or strengthen the state’s eviction moratorium or allocate additional funds into the rental assistance program.

Updated on January 15, 2021

Nonprofits in Southeastern Connecticut are concerned about a rise in evictions and homelessness when the state and federal eviction moratoriums expire at the end of the year. Housing advocates point to the critical need for federal rental assistance to help the estimated 200,000 Connecticut residents behind on rent.

FEMA announced that it will reimburse Connecticut over $2 million for costs incurred by the Connecticut Department of Housing to provide non-congregate sheltering for people experiencing homelessness during the pandemic.

Updated on December 19, 2020

The Day reports housing advocates are bracing for an increase in homelessness, including among veterans, when the federal and statewide eviction moratoriums expire at the end of the year. 

Updated on November 10, 2020

The New Haven Independent reports that eight weeks after launching an $800,000 COVID-19 rental assistance program, New Haven has not distributed any housing assistance. Since the Coronavirus Assistance and Security Tenant Landlord Emergency (CASTLE) program launched in early September, 378 applications have been sent out, 23 have been filled out and submitted, and 16 applications are under review. 

Updated on November 4, 2020

An op-ed in the New Haven Independent discusses the dangers facing unsheltered individuals this upcoming winter as coronavirus cases continue to grow. The article details what steps policymakers, service providers, and advocates must take to protect individuals experiencing homelessness this winter and beyond.

Updated on October 26, 2020

NBC Connecticut reports on state efforts to find permanent housing for 1,000 individuals before state contracts with FEMA-reimbursable hotels expire. From June 1 to September 30, Connecticut connected 1,099 people with housing.

Updated on October 19, 2020

An op-ed in the CT Post suggests that the CDC’s eviction moratorium buys the federal, state, and local governments critical time to determine how they can best manage rent and mortgage failures to prevent unprecedented waves of homelessness and housing instability. 

Updated on September 15, 2020

Governor Ned Lamont on August 21 extended Connecticut’s eviction moratorium to October 1. Governor Lamont also announced that he is doubling funding for Connecticut’s COVID-19 rental assistance program. Just week’s into Connecticut’s COVID-19 rental assistance program, nearly 4,000 people have qualified for the program that was only supposed to serve 2,500 people. 

Homeless shelters and service providers in Connecticut are bracing for a surge of evictions after federal unemployment benefits and the federal eviction moratorium expired at the end of July. Connecticut’s eviction moratorium is set to expire on August 25.

Updated on August 25, 2020.

An op-ed in the CT Mirror by Susan Thomas, president of the Melville Charitable Trust, outlines why housing is healthcare and discusses the urgent need for federal housing and homelessness resources. The author discusses the Reaching Home Campaign – a partnership between the Connecticut Department of Housing and local, state, and federal partners to house 1,000 people experiencing homelessness by the end of September.

An article in the CT Mirror discusses Connecticut’s looming housing crisis and the overwhelming need for rental assistance. About 1,100 people call each day seeking aid from Connecticut’s coronavirus housing assistance program. Only about 170 of the callers qualify for help under the program’s narrow eligibility parameters.

Updated on August 19, 2020.

Connecticut housing advocates say that the $10 million allocated for a temporary rental assistance program is insufficient to meet the overwhelming need. The Connecticut Fair Housing Center estimates that the state will need between $100-150 million to assist everyone facing eviction and homelessness. 

Updated on August 4, 2020.

Connecticut housing advocates expect a flood of eviction notices as the federal eviction moratorium and enhanced unemployment insurance benefits expire.

Updated on July 28, 2020.

Federal funding has been extended through the end of July to allow individuals experiencing homelessness who are temporarily residing at a Danbury hotel to stay longer as officials work to find them permanent housing. Connecticut plans to use approximately $4 million of federal coronavirus relief funds to move people into apartments and provide case management. An additional $472,000 will be prioritized to support people experiencing homelessness with disabilities. 

The New Haven Board of Alders unanimously approved the city’s plan to allocate over $5 million in Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG-CV), Community Development Block Grant (CDBG-CV), and Housing Opportunities for People with Aids (HOPWA) funds toward rapid rehousing, rent and utility support, food and basic needs assistance, and other social services. 

Updated on July 13, 2020.

Governor Ned Lamont announced on June 29 a plan to allocate more than $33 million in state and federal resources to provide assistance for renters, homeowners, and residential landlords impacted by COVID-19. In addition to these funds, larger Connecticut cities received $10 million in Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG-CV). The Connecticut Department of Housing is encouraging those municipalities to allocate some of the ESG-CV funds to provide rent arrearage assistance.

Updated on July 7, 2020.

A $14 million statewide campaign to move approximately 1,800 people experiencing homelessness currently living in hotels and shelters into apartments by September is one of Connecticut’s biggest emergency housing initiatives. Connecticut will use federal funds to sign leases and move people into apartments. The Connecticut Department of Housing is also considering purchasing three or four hotels in foreclosure as emergency housing, and after COVID-19 ends, the properties could be converted into permanent housing.

Updated on June 29, 2020.

The city of New Haven announced on June 15 that Columbus House, in partnership with the Greater New Haven Coordinated Access Network, has housed more than 100 people who were experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic. “What COVID-19 has shown us is a reminder that housing is health care. If people are housed, they are safer, and our community is safer. We must not forget this when the pandemic is over,” said Cathleen Meaden, the director of housing services at Columbus House.

Updated on June 22, 2020.

Housing and homelessness advocates in Connecticut are working to find permanent housing for people experiencing homelessness as the temporary housing acquired due to the pandemic are set to expire at the end of June. The goal is to find permanent housing for 1,000 people in the next 120 days. 

Updated on June 12, 2020.

WSHU discussed affordable housing advocates’ concerns about the pandemic’s impact on affordable housing development in Connecticut. Advocacy groups are calling for additional federal and state assistance to support affordable housing construction.

Yale students, faculty, and alumni are demanding that the university converts unused facilities into emergency shelter for people experiencing homelessness. Read the sign on letter here.
 
Connecticut legislators responded to questions asked by University of Connecticut students this weekend. When students raised concerns about people experiencing homelessness during COVID-19, Representative Gregory Haddad (D-CT) responded that the state has identified additional housing opportunities in motels across Connecticut.

New Haven

New Haven is establishing a drop-in resource center for people experiencing homelessness who are in encampments during the coronavirus pandemic.

An individual experiencing homelessness was reported as positive for COVID-19 in New Haven. The individual was ordered to be quarantined in the diagnosing hospital but left the building against hospital guidance. Police found the man after subsequently detaining a different individual experiencing homelessness by mistake. He is currently being held under police guard somewhere in Milford, Connecticut.

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker’s recent decision to open a 75-bed facility at Career High School to accommodate homeless people infected with COVID-19 was a first step to fighting the spread. But repeated failed negotiations to shelter in hotels to those ousted from another emergency shelter, giving them a safe place to physically distance, has left homeless individuals in New Haven with 140 fewer available spaces for sheltering.

Federal, state, and local eviction moratoriums are rapidly expiring and the CARES Act supplemental unemployment benefits will end soon; at that time, millions of low-income renters will be at risk of losing their homes. The NLIHC estimates at least $100 billion in emergency rental assistance is needed to keep low-income renters stably housed during and after the pandemic. This tracker links to news reports of the growing evictions crisis in various cities and states. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of eviction updates.

An article in the CT Mirror discusses Connecticut’s looming housing crisis and the overwhelming need for rental assistance. About 1,100 people call each day seeking aid from Connecticut’s coronavirus housing assistance program. Only about 170 of the callers qualify for help under the program’s narrow eligibility parameters.

Updated on August 28, 2020.

Under the governor's executive order, landlords cannot give tenants notice to quit; new eviction cases cannot be filed; judgments cannot be issued; and law enforcement cannot remove you from your home. These protections are in place until Aug. 25, but landlords can begin serving notices to quit on Aug. 22 because CT law allows proceedings to begin 3 days after notice is issued.  These protections to all tenants, except in cases of 1) extreme nuisance or 2) tenant was behind on rent before Feb. 29. For those who were behind on rent before Feb. 29, eviction proceedings could have begun on July 1, but the Connecticut Superior Court has issued several stays on evictions, the most recent of which expires Sept. 1. This court order extends the statewide moratorium for all tenants until Sept. 1. 

Updated on August 1, 2020.

A Connecticut-based housing lawyer predicts there will double or triple the normal number of evictions in the coming months. The rise in evictions will disproportionately impact people of color: 70% of Black families rent compared to 30% of white families. 894 evictions have already been filed in Connecticut since the pandemic started.

In the third week of July, one in four adults in Connecticut reported they had missed their previous housing payment or had little confidence they would make their next one on time, according to a weekly survey conducted by the Census. In the same survey, 95,781 renters reported they had not paid their previous rental payment. 

Updated: July 29

140,000 Connecticut tenants weren’t able to cover their June rent. 75% of those tenants are people of color. According to a weekly survey by the Census, 28% of adults in the state either missed their last housing payment or have little/no confidence of being able to make next month’s housing payment. 

Updated: July 16