Christine Palm

Dear Neighbor, 



Many of you have contacted me over the past two years for help with pandemic and post-pandemic rental relief through the UniteCT program. Some -- renters and landlords alike -- were disappointed that the UniteCT fund had been depleted. So, I'm happy to announce that UniteCT has been allocated an additional $11 million from the U.S. Department of the Treasury to supplement more than $400 million in federal funding previously allocated for the program that helps keep families safely housed.

UniteCT — created in early 2021 in response to the initial outbreak of the pandemic and administered by the Connecticut Department of Housing — provides qualified households up to 12 months of rental and  utility payment assistance. Payments are typically made directly to landlords and utility companies on behalf of tenants.

 

To date, the program has distributed $322 million to more than 11,000 landlords on behalf of 50,000 households. The average rent and utility assistance per household so far is $8,366 and $1,484, respectively.

 

This additional $11 million will assist those currently in eviction and to prevent households from going into eviction. The Connecticut Department of Housing also intends to leverage these funds with the $1.5 million that it received in the recently adopted state budget for its new Rent Bank program.

 

To learn more about UniteCT, visit the Connecticut Department of Housing’s website at ct.gov/doh.

Please feel free to contact me by email at Christine.Palm@cga.ct.gov with any questions or concerns.



Sincerely,



Christine Palm

State Representative