Help for Tenants Behind on Rent

Housing
August 17, 2020

Rafie Podolsky, a Housing and Public Policy Advocate with Connecticut Legal Services, Inc., contacted me with resources from TRHAP for tenants behind on their rent. Below is the information along with links to financial assistance if you need it.

"The Department of Housing’s (DOH) Coronavirus emergency rent relief program (known as the Temporary Rental Housing Assistance Program – TRHAP) is now available, within its limited budget authority, to any tenant with income below 80% of area median income who has a rent arrearage or is having difficulty in paying the rent as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. Landlords should also know about TRHAP and encourage any of your tenants who are behind in the rent to apply.  Such tenants should NOT wait for the landlord to start an eviction against them – by then it may be too late.  Unless the state allocates additional funding, the program will probably run out of money soon.
 
This program is a win-win for landlords and tenants who have been adversely affected by the Coronavirus pandemic.  TRHAP is funded with federal money from the CARES Act.  During the first four weeks of the program, which began July 15, DOH processed applications only from tenants who had applied for and been denied unemployment compensation.  I believe that led to a tenant and landlord misunderstanding that the program was only for such tenants.  That four-week time period is over, however, and the program is now more widely available.  The Department has also finally clarified confusing language that led some to believe that tenants with an arrearage could not apply.  Of course they can.  In fact, they are the tenants for whom the program exists."
 
Below are links to the TRHAP program page and to the program flyers in English and Spanish: