OFFICE OF FISCAL ANALYSIS
Legislative Office Building, Room 5200
Hartford, CT 06106 (860) 240-0200
http://www.cga.ct.gov/ofa
sSB-194
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A RIGHT TO HOUSING.
Primary Analyst: MP 3/24/21
Contributing Analyst(s): DC
Reviewer: PR
OFA Fiscal Note
State Impact:
Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 22 $ FY 23 $
Department of Housing GF - Cost 128,000 -
248,000
164,000 -
328,000
State Comptroller - Fringe
Benefits
1
GF - Cost 47,000 -
97,000
64,000 -
132,000
Note: GF=General Fund
Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill establishes the Housing Advocate in the Department of
Housing (DOH) and results in a cost to the General Fund of $175,000 to
$345,000 in FY 22 and $228,000 to $460,000 in FY 23 for two to four new
staff beginning on October 1, 2021. DOH does not have the capacity to
perform the duties of the Housing Advocate with existing staff.
Depending on the volume of new complaints that the agency must
review and attempt to resolve, DOH will need to hire one to three
ombudsmen, each with salary and fringe benefit costs of
approximately $85,000 in FY 22 and $116,000 in FY 23.
2
Additionally,
1
The fringe benefit costs for most state employees are budgeted centrally in accounts
administered by the Comptroller. The estimated active employee fringe benefit cost
associated with most personnel changes is 41.3% of payroll in FY 22 and FY 23.
2
It is unclear if only those recipients of DOH services (at least 80,000 people just for
rental assistance and homelessness services) or all state residents would be eligible to
be assisted by the Housing Advocate. It is assumed that the ombudsman would
primarily assist residents by directing them to the appropriate state or municipal 2021SB-00194-R000139-FN.docx Page 2 of 2
DOH will need to hire one research analyst with expertise in housing
policy with salary and fringe benefit costs of approximately $75,000 in
FY 22 and $102,000 in FY 23. Other expenses associated with new
agency staff are estimated to total $15,000 in FY 22 and $10,000 in FY
23.
The bill does not result in a fiscal impact with respect to the goal to
progressively fulfill a "right to housing," as established and defined by
the bill. It does not mandate or require the state to spend additional
funds on programs or services related to the components of this "right"
as enumerated. The bill does, however, require state agencies and local
governments to take such goals into consideration when adopting or
revising policies, regulations, or grant criteria that are related to
housing, and to prioritize specific groups in doing so.
The bill also establishes a seventeen member right to housing
committee to review existing and proposed housing policies and to
report on it annually, which will have no fiscal impact.
The Out Years
The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would
continue into the future subject to inflation.
Sources: Department of Housing
departments that currently handle such housing complaints or to other state
resources.