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Connecticut Senate Bill SB00146

Connecticut 2024 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB00146 Compare Versions

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7-General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 146
5+General Assembly Raised Bill No. 146
86 February Session, 2024
7+LCO No. 1032
98
9+
10+Referred to Committee on HOUSING
11+
12+
13+Introduced by:
14+(HSG)
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1318
1419 AN ACT CONCERNING THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE RENTAL
1520 ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND OTHER HOUSING VOUCHER
1621 PROGRAMS.
1722 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
1823 Assembly convened:
1924
20-Section 1. Section 8-345 of the 2024 supplement to the general statutes 1
21-is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective 2
22-October 1, 2024): 3
25+Section 1. Section 8-345 of the 2024 supplement to the general statutes is 1
26+repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 2
27+1, 2024): 3
2328 (a) As used in this chapter: 4
2429 (1) "Certificate holder" means any individual or family who has been 5
2530 issued a rental assistance certificate by the commissioner pursuant to the 6
2631 rental assistance program; 7
2732 (2) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Housing; 8
28-(3) "Housing" or "housing unit" means any house or building, or 9
29-portion thereof, which is occupied, designed to be occupied, or rented, 10
30-leased or hired out to be occupied, exclusively as a home or residence of 11
31-one or more persons; and 12
33+(3) "Housing" means any house or building, or portion thereof, which 9
34+is occupied, designed to be occupied, or rented, leased or hired out to 10
35+be occupied, exclusively as a home or residence of one or more persons; 11
36+and 12 Raised Bill No. 146
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3242 (4) "Low-income family" means an individual or family whose 13
3343 income does not exceed fifty per cent of the median family income for 14
34-the area of the state in which such family lives, as determined by the 15 Substitute Bill No. 146
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44+the area of the state in which such family lives, as determined by the 15
4145 commissioner. 16
4246 [(a)] (b) The [Commissioner of Housing] commissioner shall 17
4347 implement and administer [a program of rental] the rental assistance 18
4448 program to provide assistance for low-income families living in, or 19
4549 seeking to live in, privately-owned rental housing. [For the purposes of 20
4650 this section, a low-income family is one whose income does not exceed 21
4751 fifty per cent of the median family income for the area of the state in 22
4852 which such family lives, as determined by the commissioner.] 23
49-[(b) Housing] (c) To be eligible for participation in the program, a 24
50-housing unit shall [comply] be in compliance with any applicable state 25
51-and local health, housing, building and safety codes. 26
53+[(b) Housing] (c) To be eligible for participation in the program, 24
54+housing shall comply with applicable state and local health, housing, 25
55+building and safety codes. 26
5256 [(c)] (d) In addition to [an] a program element in which rental 27
5357 assistance certificates are made available to qualified tenants, to be used 28
5458 in any eligible housing [which] that such tenants are able to locate, the 29
5559 program may include a housing support element in which rental 30
5660 assistance for tenants is linked to participation by the property owner in 31
5761 other municipal, state or federal housing repair, rehabilitation or 32
5862 financing programs. The commissioner shall use rental assistance under 33
5963 this section [so as] to encourage the preservation of existing housing and 34
6064 the revitalization of neighborhoods or the creation of additional rental 35
6165 housing. 36
6266 [(d)] (e) The commissioner may designate a portion of the rental 37
6367 assistance available under the program for tenant-based and project-38
64-based supportive housing units. To the extent practicable, rental 39
68+based supportive housing units. To the extent practicable rental 39
6569 assistance for supportive housing shall adhere to the requirements of 40
6670 the federal Housing Choice Voucher Program, 42 USC 1437f(o), relative 41
6771 to calculating the tenant's share of the rent to be paid. 42
6872 [(e) The commissioner shall administer the program under this 43
69-section to promote housing choice for certificate holders and encourage 44
70-racial and economic integration.] 45
71-(f) The commissioner shall affirmatively seek to expend all funds 46 Substitute Bill No. 146
73+section to promote housing choice for certificate holders and encourage 44 Raised Bill No. 146
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78-appropriated for the program on an annual basis without regard to any 47
79-population limitation established in prior years. The commissioner shall 48
80-establish maximum rent levels for each municipality or, at the discretion 49
81-of the commissioner, zip code area, in a manner that promotes the use 50
82-of the program in all municipalities. Any certificate issued pursuant to 51
83-this section may be used for housing in any municipality in the state. 52
84-The commissioner shall inform certificate holders that a certificate may 53
85-be used in any municipality and, to the extent practicable, the 54
86-commissioner shall assist certificate holders in finding housing in the 55
87-municipality of their choice. 56
88-(g) A certificate holder shall have a maximum period of one year from 57
89-the date of issuance of such certificate to locate suitable housing for 58
90-which to use such certificate, provided the commissioner may, upon a 59
91-finding of good cause, extend the maximum effective period of any such 60
92-certificate by an additional one hundred eighty days. 61
93-(h) If the commissioner requires an inspection of a housing unit in 62
94-order to determine whether such housing unit is eligible for 63
95-participation in the program, such inspection shall be conducted not 64
96-more than five business days after a certificate holder submits a request 65
97-for the approval of such unit to the commissioner. The commissioner 66
98-shall send written notice containing the date of any such inspection to 67
99-both the owner of the housing unit and the certificate holder. If the 68
100-commissioner denies such approval after an inspection because of 69
101-defects in such unit, and the owner of such unit certifies in writing to 70
102-the commissioner that such defects have been corrected, the 71
103-commissioner shall conduct a reinspection of such unit not later than 72
104-three business days after receipt of such certification from the owner. 73
105-(i) The commissioner shall commence payments to the owner of an 74
106-eligible housing unit pursuant to the program not more than ten days 75
107-after the commencement of a tenancy in such unit by a certificate holder 76
108-under this section. 77
109-(j) Not later than June 1, 2026, the commissioner shall create an online 78 Substitute Bill No. 146
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79+racial and economic integration.] (f) The commissioner shall 45
80+affirmatively seek to expend all funds appropriated for the program on 46
81+an annual basis without regard to population limitation established in 47
82+prior years. The commissioner shall establish maximum rent levels for 48
83+each municipality or, at the discretion of the commissioner, zip code 49
84+area, in a manner that promotes the use of the program in all 50
85+municipalities. Any certificate issued pursuant to this section may be 51
86+used for housing in any municipality in the state. The commissioner 52
87+shall inform certificate holders that a certificate may be used in any 53
88+municipality and, to the extent practicable, the commissioner shall assist 54
89+certificate holders in finding housing in the municipality of their choice. 55
90+(g) Any certificate issued pursuant to this section shall terminate one 56
91+year after the issuance of such certificate, provided the commissioner 57
92+may, upon a finding of good cause, extend the effective period of any 58
93+such certificate by an additional one hundred eighty days. 59
94+(h) Except as provided in subsection (i) of this section, any inspection 60
95+required by the commissioner to determine whether a housing unit is 61
96+eligible for participation in the program shall be conducted not more 62
97+than five business days after a certificate holder submits a request for 63
98+the approval of such unit to the commissioner. The commissioner shall 64
99+send written notice containing the date of any such inspection to both 65
100+the unit owner and the certificate holder. If the commissioner denies 66
101+such approval after an inspection because of defects in such unit, and 67
102+the owner of such unit certifies in writing to the commissioner that such 68
103+defects have been corrected, the commissioner shall conduct a 69
104+reinspection of such unit not later than three business days after receipt 70
105+of such certification from the owner. 71
106+(i) The commissioner may allow the owner of a housing unit to certify 72
107+that such unit is eligible for participation in the program and a tenant 73
108+may occupy such unit pending the results of any required inspection of 74
109+such unit by the commissioner. 75
110+(j) The commissioner shall commence payments to the owner of an 76 Raised Bill No. 146
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116-tool accessible to the public on the Internet web site of the Department 79
117-of Housing that allows for (1) the calculation of the maximum allowable 80
118-rent, including any utility allowance, that an owner of a housing unit 81
119-may charge a certificate holder based on such unit's location and 82
120-physical characteristics, and (2) an estimate of the monthly rental 83
121-assistance that would be paid by the commissioner for such unit based 84
122-upon a monthly rent price and a calculation of a certificate holder's 85
123-projected contribution. 86
124-(k) The commissioner may adopt regulations, in accordance with the 87
125-provisions of chapter 54, to implement the use of electronic signatures 88
126-or electronic submissions of any applications, approvals, reports or 89
127-other agreements required for the administration of the program. Until 90
128-any such regulations are adopted, the commissioner shall accept any 91
129-electronic signature or electronic submission of any applications, 92
130-approvals, reports or other agreements required for the administration 93
131-of the program. 94
132-[(f)] (l) Nothing in this section shall give any person a right to 95
133-continued receipt of rental assistance at any time that the program is not 96
134-funded. 97
135-[(g)] (m) The commissioner shall adopt regulations in accordance 98
136-with the provisions of chapter 54 to carry out the purposes of this 99
137-section. The regulations shall establish maximum income eligibility 100
138-guidelines for such rental assistance and criteria for determining the 101
139-amount of rental assistance [which] that shall be provided to eligible 102
140-families. 103
141-[(h)] (n) Any person aggrieved by a decision of the commissioner or 104
142-the commissioner's agent pursuant to the program under this section 105
143-shall have the right to a hearing in accordance with the provisions of 106
144-section 8-37gg. 107
145-Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2024) (a) As used in this section: 108
146-(1) "Certificate holder" means any individual or family who has been 109 Substitute Bill No. 146
114+LCO No. 1032 4 of 7
115+
116+eligible housing unit pursuant to the program not more than ten days 77
117+after the commencement of a tenancy in such unit by a certificate holder 78
118+under this section. 79
119+(k) Not later than June 1, 2026, the commissioner shall create an online 80
120+tool accessible to the public on the Internet web site of the Department 81
121+of Housing that allows for (1) the calculation of the maximum allowable 82
122+rent, including any utility allowance, an owner of a housing unit may 83
123+charge a certificate holder based on such unit's location and physical 84
124+characteristics, and (2) an estimate of the monthly rental assistance that 85
125+would be paid by the commissioner for such unit based upon a monthly 86
126+rent price and a calculation of a certificate holder's projected 87
127+contribution. 88
128+(l) The commissioner may adopt regulations in accordance with the 89
129+provisions of chapter 54 to implement the use of electronic signatures or 90
130+electronic submissions of any applications, approvals, reports or other 91
131+agreements required for the administration of the program. Until any 92
132+such regulations are adopted, the commissioner shall accept any 93
133+electronic signature or electronic submission of any applications, 94
134+approvals, reports or other agreements required for the administration 95
135+of the program. 96
136+[(f)] (m) Nothing in this section shall give any person a right to 97
137+continued receipt of rental assistance at any time that the program is not 98
138+funded. 99
139+[(g)] (n) The commissioner shall adopt regulations in accordance with 100
140+the provisions of chapter 54 to carry out the purposes of this section. The 101
141+regulations shall establish maximum income eligibility guidelines for 102
142+such rental assistance and criteria for determining the amount of rental 103
143+assistance [which] that shall be provided to eligible families. 104
144+[(h)] (o) Any person aggrieved by a decision of the commissioner or 105
145+the commissioner's agent pursuant to the program under this section 106
146+shall have the right to a hearing in accordance with the provisions of 107
147+section 8-37gg. 108 Raised Bill No. 146
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153-issued a rental assistance certificate by the commissioner pursuant to the 110
154-rental assistance program established pursuant to chapter 138a of the 111
155-general statutes; 112
156-(2) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Housing; 113
157-(3) "Housing" means any house or building, or portion thereof, which 114
158-is occupied, designed to be occupied, or rented, leased or hired out to 115
159-be occupied, exclusively as a home or residence of one or more persons; 116
160-(4) "Housing voucher" means any assistance issued to an individual 117
161-or a family pursuant to a housing voucher program; 118
162-(5) "Housing voucher holder" means any person or family entitled to 119
163-participate in any housing voucher program other than the rental 120
164-assistance program; 121
165-(6) "Housing voucher program" means any housing voucher 122
166-program, including any portion of the federal Housing Choice Voucher 123
167-Program, that is administered in whole or in part by the commissioner; 124
168-(7) "Low-income family" means an individual or family whose 125
169-income does not exceed fifty per cent of the median family income for 126
170-the area of the state in which such family lives, as determined by the 127
171-commissioner; and 128
172-(8) "Rental assistance program" or "program" means the rental 129
173-assistance program established by the commissioner pursuant to 130
174-chapter 138 of the general statutes. 131
175-(b) The commissioner shall administer the rental assistance program 132
176-established pursuant to chapter 138a of the general statutes, and any 133
177-other housing voucher program, to promote housing choice for 134
178-certificate holders and housing voucher holders and to encourage racial 135
179-and economic integration. 136
180-(c) Not less than annually, the commissioner shall undertake an 137 Substitute Bill No. 146
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152+
153+Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2024) (a) As used in this section: 109
154+(1) "Certificate holder" means any individual or family who has been 110
155+issued a rental assistance certificate by the commissioner pursuant to the 111
156+rental assistance program established pursuant to chapter 138a of the 112
157+general statutes; 113
158+(2) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Housing; 114
159+(3) "Housing" means any house or building, or portion thereof, which 115
160+is occupied, designed to be occupied, or rented, leased or hired out to 116
161+be occupied, exclusively as a home or residence of one or more persons; 117
162+(4) "Housing voucher" means any assistance issued to an individual 118
163+or a family pursuant to a housing voucher program; 119
164+(5) "Housing voucher holder" means any person or family entitled to 120
165+participate in any housing voucher program other than the rental 121
166+assistance program; 122
167+(6) "Housing voucher program" means any housing voucher 123
168+program, including any portion of the federal Housing Choice Voucher 124
169+Program, that is administered in whole or in part by the commissioner; 125
170+(7) "Low-income family" means an individual or family whose 126
171+income does not exceed fifty per cent of the median family income for 127
172+the area of the state in which such family lives, as determined by the 128
173+commissioner; and 129
174+(8) "Rental assistance program" or "program" means the rental 130
175+assistance program established by the commissioner pursuant to 131
176+chapter 138 of the general statutes; 132
177+(b) The commissioner shall administer the rental assistance program 133
178+established pursuant to chapter 138a of the general statutes, and any 134
179+other housing voucher program, to promote housing choice for 135
180+certificate holders and housing voucher holders and to encourage racial 136
181+and economic integration. 137 Raised Bill No. 146
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187-assessment, based on statistically representative rental housing survey 138
188-data selected by the commissioner, to determine if maximum rent 139
189-amounts provided for in the rental assistance program established 140
190-pursuant to chapter 138a of the general statutes, or other housing 141
191-voucher programs administered in whole or in part by the 142
192-commissioner, are sufficient to provide certificate holders and housing 143
193-voucher holders with housing opportunities in each municipality or zip 144
194-code in the state. If the commissioner finds such maximum rent amounts 145
195-are insufficient for such purpose, the commissioner shall adjust such 146
196-maximum rent levels so that such rent levels are sufficient for such 147
197-purpose. Such assessment shall be made publicly available on the 148
198-Internet web site of the Department of Housing. 149
199-(d) Any certificate issued pursuant to chapter 138a of the general 150
200-statutes, and to the extent permissible by federal law, as applicable, any 151
201-housing voucher, may be used for housing in any municipality in the 152
202-state. The commissioner shall inform certificate holders and housing 153
203-voucher holders that a certificate or housing voucher may be used in 154
204-any municipality and, to the extent practicable, the commissioner shall 155
205-assist certificate holders and housing voucher holders in finding 156
206-housing in the municipality of their choice. 157
207-(e) The commissioner shall administer the program in a manner that 158
208-ensures that no certificate holder or housing voucher holder be 159
209-displaced as a result of the application of the provisions of subsection (f) 160
210-of section 8-345 of the general statutes, as amended by this act. 161
211-(f) The commissioner shall adopt regulations in accordance with the 162
212-provisions of chapter 54 of the general statutes to carry out the purposes 163
213-of this section. 164
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186+
187+(c) Not less than annually, the commissioner shall undertake an 138
188+assessment, based on statistically representative rental housing survey 139
189+data selected by the commissioner, to determine if maximum rent 140
190+amounts provided for in the rental assistance program established 141
191+pursuant to chapter 138a of the general statutes, or other housing 142
192+voucher programs administered in whole or in part by the 143
193+commissioner, are sufficient to provide certificate holders and housing 144
194+voucher holders with housing opportunities in each municipality or zip 145
195+code in the state. If the commissioner finds such maximum rent amounts 146
196+are insufficient for such purpose, the commissioner shall adjust such 147
197+maximum rent levels so that such rent levels are sufficient for such 148
198+purpose. Such assessment shall be made publicly available on the 149
199+Internet web site of the Department of Housing. 150
200+(d) Any certificate issued pursuant to chapter 138a of the general 151
201+statutes, and to the extent permissible by federal law, as applicable, any 152
202+housing voucher may be used for housing in any municipality in the 153
203+state. The commissioner shall inform certificate holders and housing 154
204+voucher holders that a certificate or housing voucher may be used in 155
205+any municipality and, to the extent practicable, the commissioner shall 156
206+assist certificate holders and housing voucher holders in finding 157
207+housing in the municipality of their choice. 158
208+(e) The commissioner shall administer the program in such a way that 159
209+ensures that no certificate holder or housing voucher holder shall be 160
210+displaced as a result of the application of the provisions of subsection (f) 161
211+of section 8-345 of the general statutes, as amended by this act. 162
212+(f) The commissioner shall adopt regulations in accordance with the 163
213+provisions of chapter 54 of the general statutes to carry out the purposes 164
214+of this section. 165
214215 This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
215216 sections:
216217
217218 Section 1 October 1, 2024 8-345
218-Sec. 2 October 1, 2024 New section
219- Substitute Bill No. 146
219+Sec. 2 October 1, 2024 New section Raised Bill No. 146
220220
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226-Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
227-In Section 1(a)(3), "or "housing unit"" was added for clarity, Section 3(c)
228-was rewritten for clarity and in Section 3(e), "such a way" was changed
229-to "in a manner" for clarity.
223+LCO No. 1032 7 of 7
230224
231-HSG Joint Favorable Subst.
225+
226+Statement of Purpose:
227+To modify the rental assistance program to (1) increase the effective
228+duration of rental assistance program certificates, (2) reduce eligible unit
229+inspection periods, (3) require that program payments to landlords
230+begin within ten days of the commencement of a qualifying tenancy, (4)
231+provide for the electronic signature and electronic submission of all
232+program documents, (5) create an online tool that allows interested
233+parties to calculate housing authority payments under the program, (6)
234+allow the Commissioner of Housing to adjust maximum rent levels for
235+certain housing assistance programs, and (7) notify prospective tenants
236+of the portability of rental assistance program certificates and other
237+housing vouchers.
238+[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
239+that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
240+underlined.]
232241