Opinion: A bipartisan fight against homelessness

Hartford– I recently submitted an op-ed to several area publications in response to proposed legislation to fund homelessness services. I submitted this letter as Ranking Member of the Housing Committee, along with Committee co-chair Representative Geoff Luxenberg (D-Manchester).

Homelessness is not a partisan issue, that’s why there is a bipartisan effort to address services provided by the state to individuals and families experiencing a housing crisis.  A bill drafted by the Housing Committee, H.B. 6554, An Act Appropriating Funds For Certain Homelessness Response Programs, would provide nearly $50 million for various programs, including the Coordinated Access Network, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services for housing supports and services and for municipal response.

Connecticut’s homeless response system encompasses various organizations and shelter providers helping to keep residents from falling into homelessness or working with people to find a home.

Delivering that help requires reliable and sufficient staff. Historically, other nonprofit organizations have received assistance from the state, but the homeless response system has been left behind.

How we treat the most vulnerable in our state says much about who we are as elected officials and about our values as people. As of this writing, more than 4,000 people in Connecticut are experiencing homelessness, according to Homeless Management Information System Data from the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness. Some in shelters, but others are living on the streets or in their cars. Of that figure, nearly 400 are families.

We’ve had a mild winter overall, but each year cities and towns rely on warming centers to keep people safe during the cold weather. There is no funding allocated next year for this service, which will leave providers scrambling for funding. H.B. 6554 would set aside money for this part of Connecticut’s homelessness response.

There’s an allocation specifically for youth homeless services and for Connecticut’s Coordinated Access Network, which ensures providers have the necessary funding to assist them in finding people homes. We are accountable to you, the Connecticut taxpayer, and we will work to secure a reporting system to hold organizations accountable for their use of these funds.

Connecticut has a 2% vacancy rate in the state and 1.5% vacancy rate in Fairfield County. The pandemic thrust some moderate-income families to the brink of homelessness and rents are continuing to rise, making it harder for lower-income residents to afford to stay in their homes. Now that some pandemic-era eviction protections have ended, eviction notices and court actions are on the rise.

Connecticut can help end homelessness. We have done it for veterans, and Connecticut is one of three states to accomplish that goal. With the right funding in place to ensure the state’s homeless response system is as effective as it can be to prevent people from becoming homeless and housing people quickly, we can help end homelessness outright.