Connecticut Housing Vouchers

Housing Vouchers * Public Housing

Homeless * Making Home Affordable

 

Connecticut Housing Vouchers – Section 8 Choice Vouchers

Connecticut Housing Vouchers are offered through the Section 8 Housing Program which provides the qualifying low-income population with affordable, decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market where the program is available. The Section 8 Housing Program is federally funded housing assistance designed to help the poor and very low-income individuals, families, senior citizens, and people with disabilities.

Section 8 Housing for Connecticut is administered statewide by the Connecticut Department of Housing and through local Connecticut Housing Authorities. The program helps Connecticut eligible individuals and families broaden their housing options in the private rental market. Find more about Section 8 Housing Programs and Housing Choice Vouchers.

Connecticut Section 8 Housing Voucher Program offers Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) vouchers for low-income Connecticut community residents. This program provides TBRA vouchers for more than 39 thousand housing units across the state.

Normally, the demand for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers in Connecticut exceeds the available funds, and there are long waiting lists. As a result, the applications for the Connecticut Housing Vouchers are taken periodically at a time determined by each local Public Housing Authority. The open period for taking Section 8 applications is usually advertised in the local newspaper two weeks prior to starting acceptance of applications, and all related social service agencies are notified.

When the waiting list is open, completed applications for Connecticut Housing Vouchers are accepted from all applicants. The Housing Authority will then verify the information in each application relevant to the applicant’s eligibility, admission, and benefits level.

Eligible Section 8 applicants can select housing within a neighborhood of their choice from a property owner willing to participate in the Section 8 program. TBRA contracts must have a minimum lease of one year and cannot exceed two years – but they can be renewed. Choices of housing units may include the family’s present residence.

Rental units must meet minimum standards of health and safety as determined by the local Housing Authority. The rents assisted units must be affordable to low-income families and remain affordable for a designated amount of time. If the household needs to change location, the household may take the TBRA assistance along when it moves to another rental unit.

Section 8 Program allows families to pay a predetermined share of their income toward the rent while issued Housing Choice Vouchers make up the difference. The program does not pay for security deposits and moving expenses. The tenant is responsible for paying for any utilities not included in the rent according to the lease.

Income eligibility limits for Connecticut Housing Vouchers and benefit levels are based on local median income and local housing costs but are set largely at the federal level with limited local discretion. Income requirements are generally set as less than 50% of Area Median Income (AMI), but can be up to 80% in some cases. By law, seventy-five percent of the newly issued vouchers must go to families with incomes below 30% of the Area Median Income.

Current recipients maintain Connecticut Housing Vouchers until their income reaches a level at which the value of their housing subsidy is reduced to $0.00 – all housing subsidies are calculated based on family income, housing costs, and other factors.

For specifics on eligibility for each Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher, please, check with your local Connecticut Public Housing Authority.

Project-Based Rental Assistance

The Connecticut Public Housing Authority promotes affordable housing opportunities through Project-Based Rental Assistance. Project-Based Rental Assistance involves over 16,000 units throughout the state of Connecticut. The rental assistance pays part of the rent to qualified tenants for a specific building designated as Section 8 and subsidized by the Federal Government with the main purpose to provide affordable housing for low-income families.

Applications are accepted, and waiting lists are maintained at each housing site. The populations served are households that are extremely low income with income up to 50% of the Area Median Income. HUD establishes and publishes the income parameters annually.

 

Connecticut Department of Housing – Special Section 8 Programs

Section 8 Family Unification Program

In partnership with Connecticut Department of Children and Families and Section 8 contract administrator, the Division of Housing administers a special Family Unification Vouchers program.

The Family Unification Program (FUP) targets youth at least 18 years old and not more than 21 years old who left foster care at age 16 or older and who lack adequate housing or, families for whom the lack of adequate housing is a primary factor causing the imminent placement of the family’s child or children in out-of-home care or delay in the discharge of the child or children to the family from out-of-home care.

Families in need of FUP help are identified and referred to the contract administrator by the Department of Children and Families. Usually, there is a waiting time until an FUP voucher is available.

The Connecticut Family Unification Program helps low-income families to rent affordable housing in order to prevent separation of children from their families or when renting affordable housing will help to reunify the children with their families.

Families who are interested in applying for Family Unification Vouchers should contact their local Connecticut Housing Authority to determine availability and eligibility of this type of rental assistance.

Mainstream Housing Opportunities Program for Persons with Disabilities

The State of Connecticut operates Section 8 Mainstream Housing Opportunities Program for Persons with Disabilities which provides safe, decent, sanitary housing to low-income persons with disabilities. This special program allows qualified elderly and non-elderly (up to 62 or younger) persons with disabilities to access affordable private housing of their choice. In addition of required Section 8 the applicants for this program must also meet the Mainstream Program eligibility requirements.

Persons with disabilities may apply to local Connecticut Housing Authorities when the Section 8 Mainstream Vouchers waiting list is open.

Nursing Facility Transition Preference

Nursing Facility Transition Preference is designed specifically for persons with disabilities transitioning from licensed nursing facilities into a private rental unit. Department of Housing works with Connecticut Association of Centers for Independent Living to make special Section 8 Vouchers to this segment of the population. To apply for Nursing Facility Transition, the person with a disability who resides in a licensed nursing facility has to develop a service plan and must be determined eligible by the PHA to receive a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher for this program.

Learn more about Connecticut Housing Programs from local Connecticut Housing Authorities.

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