As of April 12, 2021, the UniteCT guidelines state:
Applications will be deemed ineligible if:
- Applicant is currently receiving other federal or state housing assistance. (emphasis added)
This represents a significant change from the program guidelines (no longer available on the DOH website) published on March 15, 2021 which stated:
An eligible household that occupies a federally subsidized residential unit may receive UniteCT ERA assistance, provided that UniteCT ERA funds are not applied to costs that have been or will be reimbursed under any other federal assistance. If an eligible household received a monthly federal subsidy and the rent is adjusted according to changes in income, the renter household may receive UniteCT ERA assistance for the tenant-owed portion of rent or utilities that is not subsidized. An analysis of income and sources of assistance will be performed in order to ensure no duplication of benefits exists. (emphasis added).
This change may have long lasting effects because:
- Denying rental assistance to people with housing subsidies or tenants in public housing has a disparate impact on people of color. In Connecticut, 71% of people in subsidized are people of color.
- Tenants evicted from subsidized units because of rental arrears will lose their housing and their subsidies.
- Many housing authorities and subsidized housing providers will not rent to tenants with an eviction record. As a result, eviction for nonpayment of rent will disqualify many tenants from subsidized housing in the future.
Resources for tenants and homeowners:
More COVID-19 resources can be found on our website.
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