Eleni Kavros DeGraw

Dear Neighbor,

Amid the hustle and bustle, my team will be getting some much-needed rest over the holidays, so you may see one or two fewer e-newsletters from me. As always, if you need anything, please do not hesitate to contact me at Eleni.KavrosDeGraw@cga.ct.gov. We've seen an influx of constituent calls and emails lately regarding help needed, and I want to make sure you can still reach me quickly.
 
Up top, let me call your attention to the $3 million I secured with Representative Exum and Senator Paul Honig for the Beacon Communities project on Security Drive in Avon. This affordable housing project, which has the full support of the town, is very near breaking ground and will provide over 175 units between the commercial conversion of the existing office building and the new building that will be built on the existing parking lot next to it. I'm grateful the Governor found this to be a worthy project to help move forward.
 
Today, the Governor announced more information on how some of the $500 million we set aside during the special session to address federal cuts will be used. Money for permanent supportive housing (primarily to prevent thousands of the elderly, disabled, or medically fragile from becoming homeless), more money for Connecticut Foodshare and our food pantries to help feed struggling Connecticut families, and more resources for 2-1-1 for when people call the United Way run hotline for help, and money to offset the Access Healthcare subsidy cuts, among other resources detailed below. The goal of the fund is to ensure we are protecting our residents from these dangerous decisions in Washington, D.C.
 
Speaking of 2-1-1, I had the opportunity to visit their impressive call center this week with my fellow legislators on both sides of the aisle in Rocky Hill this week. The most interesting part of the visit for me was learning how they dispatch calls for things like mental health services (they also monitor both the 988 and LGBTQ+ hotline), housing, and other basic needs. I hope you'll read the section below detailing the visit.
 
As we break for the holidays soon, I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas, a peaceful Hanukkah, and a joyous Kwanzaa. Regardless of what you celebrate, I hope you are surrounded by the people you love and the people who love you.
 
Have a great week,

Eleni

To receive coverage effective January 1, 2026, enrollment must be completed by contacting the Access Health CT Call Center. Applications completed on the website will result in coverage beginning February 1, 2026.

Call: 1-855-805-4325 or TTY: 1-855-789-2428

• Monday–Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Customers should expect longer-than-normal hold times and are encouraged to call before 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 20 to ensure enrollment is completed. Assistance is available in more than 100 languages.

If you work with a Certified Broker, please contact your broker for assistance enrolling by Saturday, December 20.

Open Enrollment ends January 15, 2026. You may continue to enroll online at AccessHealthCT.com, but coverage will begin February 1, 2026.

The State Bond Commission approved $18 million today to launch a new program called the Housing Environmental Improvement Revolving Loan and Grant Fund. The goal is simple: help homeowners and affordable housing developers make energy-saving upgrades that reduce utility costs and make homes safer and more comfortable.

The program will be run by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and will support things like more efficient heating and cooling systems, insulation and building upgrades, and other improvements that cut down on wasted energy.

It also tackles a big problem that often stops projects before they start — health and safety issues like asbestos, old wiring, mold, or moisture that must be fixed before energy work can move forward.

Here’s how the funding breaks down:

• $12 million will help developers upgrade existing multifamily affordable housing with energy-efficient retrofits.
• $6 million will help lower-income homeowners remove health and safety barriers so their homes can qualify for weatherization and efficiency programs.

This matters because too many families — especially those with lower incomes — spend a large share of their paychecks on energy bills. Fixing these barriers opens the door to real, long-term savings and more comfortable homes.

This program was authorized by the legislature earlier this year, and it builds on successful DEEP programs that have already helped dozens of households but ran out of funding due to high demand. DEEP is now working on setting up the program, to launch loans and grants by the end of 2026.

This investment also fits into broader efforts to bring down energy costs statewide, including new laws that will save ratepayers hundreds of millions of dollars and ongoing energy efficiency programs that return more savings than they cost.

Bottom line: this is about making housing more affordable, cutting energy bills, and making sure more Connecticut residents can benefit from energy efficiency — no matter their income or where they live.

We passed a $500 million emergency response fund during November's special session to support residents facing harmful federal cutbacks from the Trump administration. Now, Governor Ned Lamont is putting a plan in motion to put that fund to use. His proposal calls for committing:

• Tens of millions to offset cuts to Affordable Care Act subsidies
• $24.5 million to support community food banks and pantries
• Nearly $7 million to combat homelessness
• $4.7 million for 2-1-1 to increase call volume and Community Action Agencies to support outreach and assistance for SNAP recipients

Click on the image below to read the entire proposal, which is still awaiting approval from legislative leaders.

Yesterday, I was able to visit their call center with a group of my colleagues to better understand what happens when you call 2-1-1 and the value of this service to people across Connecticut. Most interesting to many of us was the real-time data screen showing how many people were currently being assisted, how many were on hold, and how long the wait time might be. Wait times vary based on what topic you are calling about because there are multiple funding streams for 2-1-1.

For instance, 988 and the LGBTQ+ hotlines have zero wait times because of how they are funded. If you are in the middle of a mental health crisis, the national goal is to get the phone answered within 15 seconds and consistently, our CT 2-1-1 operators can take the call within seven seconds. For more basic questions like where the nearest food pantry is, how to sign up for HUSKY, or to get heating assistance had between 45-55 people an over a two and a half hour wait time when we were there yesterday. It wasn't lost on us that if 2-1-1 employed 36 people instead of 18 for this specific division of the hotline, those wait times would disappear. The housing hotline had nearly 30 people on hold and an hour wait time, again, because of lower staffing.

While the hotline does offer the option to receive a callback instead of staying on hold, we will need to have a discussion in Appropriations in terms of what additional resources they may require to meet the growing number of calls, some because of the cuts we have seen at the federal level.

We were truly impressed by the dedication of the staff, regardless of the calls they receive and their commitment to ensuring that people get the information they need, in as timely a fashion as possible, amidst challenging circumstances.