State Budget Restores Some Supportive Housing Funding In a budget that relied on a large income tax increase, $1 billion in borrowing and significant fee hikes and limited spending cuts, affordable housing programs fared reasonably well in the budget passed by the General Assembly September 1.
Supportive housing line items retained their standing in the original Democratic spending plan. After Gov. M. Jodi Rell sought last fall to postpone Next Steps, Round III, funding for the development of new units of supportive housing, the new budget restores some of that funding: $1.8 million and $2.3 million, respectively, in FY '10 and FY'11 for supportive services (DMHAS), rental payments (DSS) and debt payment (Treasurer).
New Haven Home Recovery Celebrates Treadwell Commons Ribbon Cutting On Tuesday, September 1, dozens gathered in Hamden to celebrate a ribbon cutting for New Haven Home Recovery's Treadwell Commons supportive housing development. This conveniently located site features 10 apartments for families who have experienced homelessness or are at risk of homelessness and is funded by the State of CT Next Steps Initiative. The families, many of whom were previously living in homeless shelters, have already moved into their new homes.
CHFA Schedules Hearings on Qualified Allocation Plan and Offers Public Comment Opportunities The Draft 2010 Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) has been approved by the CHFA Board of Directors for public comment and is now available. The Reaching Home Campaign is putting together a position statement with talking points that we will send out shortly. The QAP governs priorities for the use of 9% Low Income Housing Tax Credits which are administered by CHFA. These tax credits are the "workhorse" of multifamily housing production.
Comments may be sent to Delbe Spath, Manager, Tax Credit Programs, Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, 999 West Street, Rocky Hill, CT 06067 or to no later than September 21. Those wishing to comment in person can come to public hearings:
Sept. 9, 10 a.m. -- Noon, Harrison Apartments Community Room, 651 State Street, Bridgeport, CT. Directions.
Sept. 16, 10 a.m.-Noon -- Hamilton Apartment Community Room, 281 Hamilton Avenue, Norwich, CT. Directions.
HomeWORK Events to Help Housing Tenants Get Back into Workforce The HomeWORK Project which is a unique approach to helping supportive housing tenants enter the workforce (or advance in their employment), improve their earnings, and/or strength their education and training is holding kickoff events the week of September 21. HomeWORK is a collaborative project between the Dept. of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH), and the Bureau of Rehabilitative Services (BRS ). The dates and pilot cities for the kickoff events are as follows:
LWV Holds Affordable Housing and Homelessness Forum September 22 What is the current status of affordable housing and homelessness in greater Hartford? Join the League of Women Voters on Tuesday, September 22, 2009, at The Lyceum in Hartford when Kate Kelly will be speaking on Affordable Housing and Homelessness: Regional Problems, Regional Solutions. The 6 p.m. meeting is proceeded by a potluck dinner, to be followed by presentations. For more information, contact Sandy Fry at .
We're on Facebook! The Partnership for Strong Communities is now on Facebook. We are posting interesting and up-to-date photos, news, and articles about homelessness, supportive housing, and affordable housing.
Becoming our fan is easy if you have a Facebook account - just search for "Partnership for Strong Communities" in the upper right search bar, and you'll find us. Then hit "Become a Fan" next to our username when you get to our page.
New Interactive Map of Supportive Housing in Connecticut There are almost 4,000 units of supportive housing in our state - now you can explore them using an interactive Google map! The new map allows you to browse through photos and short descriptions of each site. It was created using the Supportive Housing Directory for Connecticut and Rhode Island maintained by the Corporation for Supportive Housing New England Program.
Register for Fall DMHAS Supportive Housing Trainings The Department of Mental Health and Addiction's fall catalogue of supportive housing trainings is now available online. These trainings are designed for staff working in supportive housing settings and are designed to strengthen core competencies in tenant engagement and client-centered service delivery. Registration for these courses is open online.
HPRP Tools Available on CCEH Website CCEH is now providing a comprehensive and up-to-date selection of resources and web tools for communities and service providers charged with implementing the new Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP).
CCEH Announces Training Institute Schedule, NYC Homeless Commissioner Hess to Speak - September 17 & 18 Registration is now open for CCEH's 8th Annual Training Institute (ATI) on Thursday, September 17 and Friday, September 18 at the Four Points-Sheraton in Meriden. The morning of September 17 will feature Robert V. Hess, Commissioner of Homeless Services, New York City as the opening plenary speaker. Workshops over the two days will focus on topics ranging from engaging with public housing authorities to the latest in cost benefit research to connecting clients to employment.
If you have questions about registration contact Caroline DiPietro by email at or call 860-721-7876 ext 110. For questions regarding workshop content or presenters contact Katie Martin at or call 860-721-7876 ext 107.
Connecticut Housing Coalition Convention Oct. 7 "A New Day For Housing" will be the theme of Connecticut Housing Coalition's 2009 annual conference Wednesday, October 7, at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. Register today!
Keep the Promise to Celebrate 10 Years with Awards, Hosts Legislative Trainings On Thursday, November 5, 2009 from 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. the Keep the Promise Coalition will hold its annual awards ceremony to celebrate 10 years of legislative advocacy. The event will feature awards, lunch, and entertainment. Invitations will be sent in October.
Also coming this fall, Keep the Promise will be holding their legislative trainings focused on the essentials of legislative advocacy and legislative leadership. The cost of the trainings is $10 to cover the cost of lunch, but stipends are available to anyone for whom this is a barrier to participation.
Essentials of Legislative Advocacy: Thursday, Oct. 1st & Thursday, Oct. 8th, 2009, 8:30 a.m.- 3:30p.m. at the Legislative Office Building, 300 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT. Box Lunch provided. $10 fee to help cover cost of book and lunch. Register.
Legislative Leadership: Thursday, Dec. 3rd & Thursday, Dec. 10th, 2009, 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the Legislative Office Building, 300 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT. Lunch vouchers to LOB Cafeteria provided. $10 fee to help cover cost of book and lunch. Register.
The Reaching Home Campaign is staffed
by the 