CHAPTER 138b
HOUSING PROGRAMS FOR HOMELESS PERSONS

As used in sections 8-355 to 8-359, inclusive:
(1) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development.
(2) "Community housing development corporation" means a corporation which has qualified for assistance under section 8-217.
(3) "Homeless person" means any person who does not have overnight shelter or sufficient income or resources to secure such shelter.
(4) "Nonprofit corporation" shall be construed as defined in section 8-39.
(5) "Utility allowance" means the average monthly amount a person or family spends for heat and other utilities, excluding telephone, which is not supplied or paid for by the owner of the dwelling unit rented by the person or family.
(P.A. 85-485, S. 1; P.A. 87-309, S. 1; P.A. 95-250, S. 1; P.A. 96-211, S. 1, 5, 6.)
History: P.A. 87-309 made a technical change in the reference contained in Subdiv. (4); P.A. 95-250 and P.A. 96-211 replaced Commissioner and Department of Housing with Commissioner and Department of Economic and Community Development.

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Sec. 8-356. State financial assistance to community housing development corporation, municipal developer or nonprofit corporation for emergency shelters or rooming houses for homeless persons or mobile manufactured homes for use as transitional housing. (a) The state, acting by and in the discretion of the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, may enter into a contract with a community housing development corporation, a municipal developer or a nonprofit corporation providing emergency shelter services for homeless persons for state financial assistance in the form of a state grant-in-aid, loan, deferred loan, loan guarantee or interest subsidy for the cost of acquisition, construction, rehabilitation or renovation of emergency shelters or rooming houses for homeless persons or for the cost of acquisition of mobile manufactured homes for use as transitional housing. In the case of a deferred loan, the contract shall require that payments on interest are due immediately but that payments on principal may be made at a later time.
(b) On and after the effective date of regulations adopted under section 8-437, the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development shall not accept any application for state financial assistance pursuant to this section except an application for a project or development not qualifying for financial assistance pursuant to section 8-433.
(P.A. 85-485, S. 2; P.A. 87-309, S. 2; 87-436, S. 20, 23; P.A. 92-166, S. 23, 31; P.A. 93-309, S. 27, 29; 93-435, S. 80, 95; P.A. 95-250, S. 1; P.A. 96-211, S. 1, 5, 6.)
History: P.A. 87-309 made technical changes and provided for assistance for emergency shelters and mobile manufactured homes to be used as transitional housing; P.A. 87-436 added provisions authorizing state to enter into contracts with municipal developers; P.A. 92-166 amended the section to make deferred loans a form of financial assistance available under the section and further provided that payments on interest are due immediately but that payments on principal may be made at a later time; P.A. 93-309 designated the existing section as Subsec. (a) and added new Subsec. (b) prohibiting the commissioner of housing, on and after July 1, 1994, or the effective date of regulations adopted under Sec. 8-437, from accepting applications for housing developments that qualify for financial assistance under Sec. 8-433, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-435 amended Subsec. (b) by deleting reference to "July 1, 1994," re the deadline for the receipt by the commissioner of housing of certain applications for state financial assistance, and made technical changes, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-250 and P.A. 96-211 replaced Commissioner and Department of Housing with Commissioner and Department of Economic and Community Development.

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Sec. 8-357. State financial assistance to community housing development corporation, municipal developer or nonprofit corporation for transitional housing and support services. (a) The state, acting by and in the discretion of the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, may enter into a contract with a community housing development corporation, a municipal developer or a nonprofit corporation for state financial assistance in the form of a state grant-in-aid, loan, deferred loan, loan guarantee or interest subsidy for the cost of acquisition, construction, rehabilitation or renovation of multifamily dwellings for persons and families whose adjusted monthly income does not exceed fifty per cent of the median household income, as determined by the commissioner, for the area in which they reside and who have received emergency shelter services or shelter services for battered women and are in need of transitional housing and support services for a period of six to twenty-four months. Such housing and services shall be designed to enable such persons to maintain their current jobs, improve their employment skills, retrain for different occupations or continue their education. Such services may include, without limitation, information and referral; counseling and support groups; aid in finding vocational training, education or employment; health, nutrition, fitness and recreation programs; child care; transportation; legal aid; and financial counseling. In the case of a deferred loan, the contract shall require that payments on interest are due immediately but that payments on principal may be made at a later time.
(b) The commissioner may consider, without limitation, the following criteria in determining which project shall be eligible for assistance under this section: (1) Whether the project has been approved by local planning and zoning commissions, (2) the amount of resources which have been committed to the project by the private sector and the municipality in which the project would be located, (3) the extent to which resources of existing social services agencies are planned to be utilized, (4) the extent to which both privacy and community living are planned for residents of the project, (5) whether the project is capable of operating without ongoing state subsidies and (6) the proximity of the project to schools, potential employers, stores and transportation, medical, child care and recreational facilities.
(c) On and after the effective date of regulations adopted under section 8-437, the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development shall not accept any application for state financial assistance pursuant to this section except an application for a project or development not qualifying for financial assistance pursuant to section 8-433.
(P.A. 85-485, S. 3; P.A. 87-309, S. 3; 87-436, S. 21, 23; P.A. 92-166, S. 24, 31; P.A. 93-309, S. 28, 29; 93-435, S. 81, 95; P.A. 95-250, S. 1; P.A. 96-211, S. 1, 5, 6.)
History: P.A. 87-309 made technical changes to Subsec. (a); P.A. 87-436 added provision in Subsec. (a) authorizing state to enter into contracts with municipal developers; P.A. 92-166 amended Subsec. (a) to make deferred loans a form of financial assistance available under the section and to provide that payments on interest are due immediately but that payments on principal may be made at a later time; P.A. 93-309 added new Subsec. (c) prohibiting the commissioner of housing, on and after July 1, 1994, or the effective date of regulations adopted under Sec. 8-437, from accepting applications for housing developments that qualify for financial assistance under Sec. 8-433, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-435 amended Subsec. (c) by deleting reference to "July 1, 1994," re the deadline for the receipt by the commissioner of housing of certain applications for state financial assistance, and made technical changes, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-250 and P.A. 96- 211 replaced Commissioner and Department of Housing with Commissioner and Department of Economic and Community Development.

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(a) If a person residing in a dwelling unit in any project receiving financial assistance pursuant to sections 8-355 to 8-359, inclusive, is a recipient of general assistance as a one person household under sections 17b-19, 17b-63 to 17b-65, inclusive, 17b-116 to 17b-138, inclusive, 17b-220 to 17b- 250, inclusive, 17b-256, 17b-259, 17b-263, 17b-287, 17b-340 to 17b-350, inclusive, 17b-689, 17b-689b and 17b-743 to 17b-747, inclusive, the rental payment for such person's dwelling unit shall be an amount equal to the shelter component of the general assistance grant as determined by the town in accordance with regulations adopted by the Commissioner of Social Services pursuant to section 17b-78. Otherwise, the maximum amount which a person or family residing in a dwelling unit in a project receiving financial assistance under sections 8-355 to 8-359, inclusive, shall pay as its contribution to the total rent for the dwelling unit shall be thirty per cent of the adjusted monthly income, as defined by the commissioner pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, of the household in which the person resides or of the family, less the amount of such household's or family's utility allowance.
(b) The commissioner shall adopt regulations in accordance with chapter 54 (1) defining adjusted monthly income, (2) establishing criteria for determining the utility allowance of a person or family, (3) establishing criteria for determining which projects shall be eligible for financial assistance under sections 8-356 and 8-357 and (4) establishing procedures for the operation of the programs under said sections.
(P.A. 85-485, S. 4; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87.)
History: P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social services for commissioner and department of income maintenance, effective July 1, 1993; (Revisor's note: In 1997 references to sections "17b-115 to 17b-138, inclusive" and "17b-689 to 17b-693, inclusive," were changed editorially by the Revisors to sections "17b-116 to 17b-138, inclusive" and "17b-689, 17b-689b" respectively, to reflect the repeal of the relevant sections by the June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2).

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(a) For the purposes described in subsection (b), the State Bond Commission shall have the power from time to time to authorize the issuance of bonds of the state in one or more series and in principal amounts not exceeding in the aggregate three million five hundred thousand dollars.
(b) The proceeds of the sale of said bonds, to the extent of the amount stated in subsection (a), shall be used by the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development for the purposes of sections 8-355 to 8-359, inclusive.
(c) All provisions of section 3-20, or the exercise of any right or power granted thereby which are not inconsistent with the provisions of sections 8-355 to 8-359, inclusive, are hereby adopted and shall apply to all bonds authorized by the State Bond Commission pursuant to said sections, and temporary notes in anticipation of the money to be derived from the sale of any such bonds so authorized may be issued in accordance with said section 3-20 and from time to time renewed. Such bonds shall mature at such time or times not exceeding twenty years from their respective dates as may be provided in or pursuant to the resolution or resolutions of the State Bond Commission authorizing such bonds. None of said bonds shall be authorized except upon a finding by the State Bond Commission that there has been filed with it a request for such authorization, which is signed by or on behalf of the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development and states such terms and conditions as said commission, in its discretion, may require. Said bonds issued pursuant to sections 8-355 to 8-359, inclusive, shall be general obligations of the state and the full faith and credit of the state of Connecticut are pledged for the payment of the principal of and interest on said bonds as the same become due, and accordingly and as part of the contract of the state with the holders of said bonds, appropriation of all amounts necessary for punctual payment of such principal and interest is hereby made, and the Treasurer shall pay such principal and interest as the same become due.
(d) Each contract for state financial assistance entered into pursuant to section 8- 356 or 8-357 shall provide that if the community housing development corporation, municipal developer or nonprofit corporation conveys the property for which financial assistance is provided under sections 8-355 to 8-359, inclusive, or stops using such property for the benefit of low income persons, the corporation or municipal developer shall immediately repay the loan or grant to the state. The state shall have a lien on such property for the purpose of ensuring compliance with the provisions of this subsection, which lien may be subordinated to a subsequent loan relating to such property at the discretion of the commissioner. Such lien may be removed by the commissioner, subject to such terms and conditions as the commissioner may determine, not less than ten years after the date of such contract for financial assistance upon a determination by the commissioner that the need for housing for the homeless in the locality no longer exists or upon a determination by the commissioner that the removal of such lien is in the best interest of the state.
(e) Subject to the approval of the Governor, any administrative or other cost or expense incurred by the state in connection with the carrying out of the provisions of sections 8-355 to 8-359, inclusive, including the hiring of necessary employees and the entering upon necessary contracts, shall be paid from the proceeds of the bonds issued pursuant to this section.
(P.A. 85-485, S. 5; 85-613, S. 139, 154; P.A. 86-396, S. 14, 25; P.A. 87-309, S. 4; 87-405, S. 10, 26; 87-436, S. 22, 23; P.A. 88-294, S. 1, 2; P.A. 95-250, S. 1; P.A. 96-211, S. 1, 5, 6.)
History: P.A. 85-613 added Subsec. (e) re payment of expenses incurred by state in connection with carrying out provisions of Secs. 8-355 to 8-359, inclusive, from proceeds of bonds; P.A. 86-396 increased bond authorization from five hundred thousand dollars to one million five hundred thousand dollars; P.A. 87-309 amended Subsec. (d) to authorize the subordination of the state's lien to a first mortgage; P.A. 87-405 increased the bond authorization from one million five hundred thousand dollars to three million five hundred thousand dollars; P.A. 87-436 added references to municipal developers in Subsec. (d); P.A. 88-294 added provisions in Subsec. (d) re subordination and removal of state lien; P.A. 95-250 and P.A. 96-211 replaced Commissioner and Department of Housing with Commissioner and Department of Economic and Community Development.

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Nothing in sections 1-200, 1-205, 1-206, 1-210 to 1-213, inclusive, 1-225 to 1-232, inclusive, 1-240 and 19a-342 shall be construed to require a public agency, as defined in section 1-200, to disclose any information indicating the location of a shelter or transitional housing for victims of domestic violence.
(P.A. 89-38, S. 1, 2.)
History: (Revisor's note: In 1997 references to "sections 1-15, 1-18a, 1-19 to 1-19b, inclusive, and 1-21 to 1-21k, inclusive," were changed editorially by the Revisors to the corresponding section numbers in Ch. 3 and Sec. 19a-342, reflecting the transfer of those sections).

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Sec. 8-361. Pilot program for acquisition and rehabilitation of abandoned property into single room occupancy housing for homeless persons. (a) The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development shall develop a pilot program for the acquisition and rehabilitation of abandoned property in targeted investment communities, as defined in section 32-222. The state, acting by and in the discretion of the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, may enter into a contract with a nonprofit organization for a grant, loan or deferred loan for the costs of acquisition, rehabilitation or renovation of abandoned property into single room occupancy housing for homeless persons. In the case of a deferred loan, the contract shall require that all or a portion of the interest is due currently but that payments on principal may be made at a later time. As used in this section, "nonprofit corporation" means a nonprofit corporation incorporated pursuant to chapter 602 or any predecessor statutes thereto, having as one of its purposes the construction, rehabilitation, ownership or operation of housing.
(b) A project shall not be eligible for financial assistance under this section unless the applicant demonstrates that job training will be provided at the site and job placement will be provided for able-bodied persons residing in a homeless shelter or receiving public assistance. The commissioner shall require that the applicant assist persons trained at the site in acquiring full-time employment in the jobs for which they were trained and that such persons be eligible for occupancy in the development for not less than five years after completion, provided such person meets the criteria for occupancy established by the applicant and demonstrates an ability to make rent payments. The applicant shall provide persons receiving training a credit towards rent due for the labor in rehabilitating or renovating the abandoned property. The amount of the credit shall be not more than the rent for one year. The rent for a unit in the development shall not exceed the minimum standard area rental rate.
(c) The commissioner shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to implement the provisions of this section. Such regulations shall include a methodology for determining the minimum standard area rental rate.
(P.A. 93-401, S. 1; P.A. 95-250, S. 1; P.A. 96-211, S. 1, 5, 6; 96-256, S. 179, 209.)
History: P.A. 95-250 and P.A. 96-211 replaced Commissioner and Department of Housing with Commissioner and Department of Economic and Community Development; P.A. 96-256 amended Subsec. (a) to replace reference to "chapter 600" with "chapter 602 or any predecessor statutes thereto", effective January 1, 1997.

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The municipality in which a development receiving financial assistance under section 8-361 is located may abate real property taxes on such development as follows: For the first year, seventy-five per cent of such taxes shall be abated, for the second year, fifty per cent and for the third year, thirty per cent.
(P.A. 93-401, S. 2.)

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Reserved for future use.

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