OLR Report 2016-R-0036 briefly describes municipal home repair and rehabilitation programs available to Connecticut homeowners.
There are several different kinds of municipally administered home repair and rehabilitation programs available to homeowners. The report provides examples of programs supported by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grants and those supported with municipal funding. HUD supported programs are the most common type found in Connecticut. Eligibility criteria typically follow the HUD income guidelines for low- and moderate-income households.
Many of Connecticut’s municipalities administer homeowner rehabilitation programs utilizing funding available through the HUD Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. CDBG funding is divided between “entitlement” and “non-entitlement” communities. Entitlement communities (i.e., cities with a population of at least 50,000) receive funding directly from HUD. Non-entitlement communities (i.e., municipalities with a population of less than 50,000) must compete to receive CDBG money through the state’s Small Cities program. The Small Cities grants are administered by the Department of Housing and the municipality. The municipalities (1) vet applications from residents for a portion of the funding allotted to the municipality and (2) may designate some funding for a project of the municipality’s choosing.
For more information, read the full report here.
