Rent Assistance

The Department of Housing Strengthens and revitalizes communities by promoting affordable housing opportunities. The Department seeks to eliminate homelessness and to catalyze the creation and preservation of quality, affordable housing to meet the needs of all individuals and families statewide to ensure that Connecticut continues to be a great place to live and work. The Department of Housing (DOH) works in concert with municipal leaders, public agencies, community groups, local housing authorities, and other housing developers i the planning and development of affordable home ownership and rental housing units, the preservation of existing multi-family housing developments, community revitalization and financial and other support for our most vulnerable residents through our funding and technical support programs. Rental Assistance Program(RAP):  The Rental Assistance Program (RAP) is the major state-supported program for assisting low-income families to afford, decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. Participants find their own housing, including apartments, townhouses, and single-family homes. The participant is free to choose any private rental housing that meets the requirements of the program, as described below. RAP certificates are funded through the Department of Housing and are administered statewide by DOH and its agent,  J. D'Ameila & Associates(JDA). JDA subcontracts operation of the RAP to six local Pubic Housing Authorities (PHAs) and one Community Action Agency in the state.  Who is Eligible? :  Eligibility for a RAP certificate is determined based on the household's annual gross income and the state's definition of a family. Participation is limited to US citizens and specified categories of non-citizens who have eligible immigration status. In general, the family's income may not exceed 50 percent of the annual median income for the county or metropolitan area in which the family chooses to live. Connecticut has adopted the AMI levels publishes by HUD. These levels vary by location throughout the state. RAP Certificates - how do they function? : The Rental Assistance Program leaves the choice of housing to the individual family. Very low-income families selected by JDA to participate are encouraged to consider several housing options to secure the best housing for its needs. A certificate holder is advised of the unit size for which their family is eligible, based on family size and composition. The housing unit selected by the family must meet an acceptable level of quality and safety before the PHA can approve the unit. When the certificate holder finds a unit that he or she wishes to occupy and reaches an agreement with the landlord over the rental agreement terms, the PHA must inspect the dwelling and determine that it meets housing quality standards. The PHA determines a maximum allowable rent (MAR). The MAR is the amount generally needed to rent a moderately-priced dwelling unit in the local housing market. The MAR is used to calculate the amount of housing assistance a family may receive. The MAR does not limit the amount of rent a landlord may charge, but it does limit the amount of rent a tenant may pay. A family receiving a certificate can select a unit with a rent that does not exceed the MAR.