While much has been shared about the disastrous consequences of Gov. Ned Lamont’s veto of the housing omnibus bill, H.B. 5002 (see here, here, here, and here for some highlights), there is one area of housing policy where Connecticut is leading the charge: housing vouchers.

Connecticut is one of only a handful of states to have their own state-funded housing voucher program. While most of the country relies solely on the distribution of federal Section 8 housing vouchers (which only one in every four eligible households can access due to underfunding), for the past four decades Connecticut has stepped up to expand rental assistance to our most vulnerable populations through our Rental Assistance Program (RAP). The program is still going strong: in the most recent budget, the General Assembly approved $6.7 million in Fiscal Year 27 to create more than 400 new vouchers. We have a history of taking care of our people when federal dollars fall short.

Now, with federal funding more uncertain than ever, Connecticut is one of the best poised states to step in and step up to keep our families in their homes. As the Trump Administration has threatened housing stability for voucher recipients — through the government shut down, drastic proposed budget cuts, and new proposed work requirements — Connecticut doesn’t need to scramble to implement new emergency programs. We can build out our existing infrastructure to provide a safety net for the casualties of this administration’s cruelty.

What exactly is the Rental Assistance Program? It helps very low-income families afford safe, decent housing in the private market. Participants locate a private rental home — from apartments to single family homes — and arrange for the landlord to accept rental assistance payments. Rental assistance is a subsidy, not a free ride. Families making up to 50% of Area Median Income, or between $35K-$43K for a three-person household, will pay up to 40% of their monthly income in rent (30% for elderly and disabled tenants) and the state makes up the difference between what the family can afford and what the private market charges. (See pschousing.org for an explainer on the differences between federal and state housing vouchers.)

When it comes to housing, other states face a difficult choice: let their residents face eviction and homelessness, or build the plane as they fly it by creating new programs, funding streams, and bureaucracies while in crisis.

Connecticut is prepared and doesn’t need to face this impossible choice. It’s simple: mobilize and fund our existing Rental Assistance Program to keep families safe and stably housed.

Our most urgent first step is to mitigate the impacts of the government shutdown. Current funding for Section 8 vouchers is estimated to last until the end of November – then public housing authorities are on their own. The governor and General Assembly can lead in their upcoming special session by providing funding for the Department of Housing to cover the gaps.

An eviction can follow a family and make it impossible for them to find housing for years to come. Evictions as a result of the federal government reneging on their rental agreement are deeply unfair to voucher holders who have consistently paid 30% of their income in rent. It would be a mistake to allow a wave of evictions and homelessness to move forward during a temporary shutdown when we have the tools and the funds to step in.

Connecticut’s policymakers can plan ahead for how to best deploy our Rental Assistance Program to mitigate a future housing crisis from Washington:

Connecticut has the opportunity to be a housing leader. No one deserves to be evicted because of dysfunctional federal policies, and we can and should stand up for our neighbors. We urge our state leaders to not forget their most powerful tool in this fight — state housing vouchers.

Alysha Gardner of New Haven is senior policy analyst for Hartford-based Partnership for Strong Communities.

Democrats won big in Tuesday’s municipal elections in Connecticut, holding on to mayoral offices in Stamford, New Haven and Danbury and knocking out incumbent Republicans in Ansonia and Stratford, according to unofficial vote tallies.

The results came amid other Democratic wins elsewhere in the country.

In New York City’s closely-watched mayor’s race, Zohran Mamdani beat former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa. In California, Democrats passed a gerrymandering proposition that would allow them to carve out additional blue seats.

Here’s a look at where some Connecticut’s key municipal races stand Wednesday morning:

Democratic incumbents in Stamford, Danbury and New Haven each fended off Republican mayoral challengers Tuesday night. 

Voters also granted a second term to Danbury Mayor Roberto Alves, who scored a win over Republican Emile G Buzaid with 59.06% of the vote.

In New Haven, incumbent Mayor Justin Elicker handily defeated Republican Steven Orosco, a former MMA fighter, with 77.43% of the vote. The win continues Democrats’ control of the city that dates to the Eisenhower administration.

A handful of races remained either too close to call Wednesday morning or lacked results. 

In Easton, the secretary of the state’s unofficial results showed Republican Dan Lent leading Democrat Nicholas D’Addario by just six votes in the race for the first selectman’s office. 

In East Hartford, where Republican Salema Davis and Connor Martin are vying for the mayor’s office, no results have been reported, according to the secretary of the state.

Tuesday night saw a few upsets with incumbents knocked from their seats. 

In Ansonia, Republican Mayor David S. Cassetti lost to Democrat Frank Tyszka, who secured 57.96% of the vote.

In Stratford, incumbent Republican Laura R. Hoydick lost to Democrat David Chess.

Neighboring Milford also saw a Republican incumbent defeated by a Democrat, with voters backing Rich Smith over the incumbent, Tony Giannattasio.

As the federal government shutdown rolls into its second month, questions mount for people relying on a range of federally-funded benefits.

Connecticut lawmakers are negotiating the parameters of a bill to set aside as much as $500 million to help households relying on various assistance programs and subsidies.

“Right now, my number one priority on a timely basis is taking care of people who were hit and hit hard by this shutdown,” Gov. Ned Lamont (D-Connecticut) said during a press conference at Hands on Hartford.

There’s bipartisan support for a response to several concerns over federal funding, including:

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture is paying for half the monthly benefits in November, leaving questions about when those payments will come and what might happen if the shutdown continues into December.
• The shutdown continues as Democrats and Republicans disagree over the future of subsidies for people who buy health insurance through Affordable Care Act exchanges.
• And stats have not received money from the Low-Income Heating Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, because Congress has not approved a spending plan.

Democratic and Republican leaders have said the goal is to put money aside in case federal funding for specific benefits are cut or frozen.

The intent is to make sure benefits continue through early February, when lawmakers return to the capitol. There is debate about whether the money should come from the Rainy Day Fund or a surplus within the existing budget.

Either way, lawmakers said they want to help families relying on programs like SNAP.

“I think we should have started figuring it out two weeks ago because there were some people who were optimistic,” Rep. Vincent Candelora (R-Minority Leader) said. “I just don’t see the shutdown ending anytime soon.”

That could include making sure households receive their full benefit and setting aside money in case the shutdown drags on and the USDA fails to fund the program again in December.

Lamont said Monday that Connecticut could copy what states like Vermont, Virginia and Utah have done, putting money onto the EBT cards SNAP beneficiaries already have.

“It was a bouncing ball there for a while, we have a pretty good idea now,” he said. “We will be able to use the EBT card. We can potentially do cash on that if this thing goes a lot longer.”

The state did give $3 million to Foodshare last week, helping the organization purchase six million additional meals.

Those meals will be distributed over the next two weeks through Foodshare’s existing network, starting Monday.

Janet Bermudez, executive director of Hands on Hartford, said families coming to her pantry are looking everywhere they can for help after not receiving benefits on Saturday.

“Folks that are not receiving their SNAP benefits are becoming anxious, desperate,” she said, estimating the pantry saw a 20% increase in demand even before Saturday.

She said families, and not just those on SNAP, have been asking for more help as they also pay more for electricity, housing and other costs.

Bermudez said that’s one of the reasons pantries alone can’t make up for the assistance families are losing through SNAP.

“What we’re able to give out is about 40 pounds of groceries, and that, I know, does not feed a family for a month,” she said.