June 18, 2004 |
2004-R-0492 | |
STATE AGENCIES PROVIDING HOUSING SERVICES | ||
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By: Joseph Holstead, Research Analyst | ||
You asked us to identity all state or quasi-public agencies that provide housing services and include their (1) statutory authority to provide such services and statutorily defined mission, (2) clientele, and (3) role. You specified that the following should be included: the departments of Economic and Community Development (DECD), Social Services (DSS), Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), Mental Retardation (DMR), Consumer Protection (DCP), Motor Vehicles (DMV), Corrections (DOC), and Children and Families (DCF); and the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) and the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA).
By law, DECD is the lead housing agency in the state. But recent changes in the law have given more responsibility to the quasi-public CHFA. Other state agencies administer certain programs and serve specific clientele. Table one below lists each agency, its statutory authority and mission (where applicable) regarding housing services, and the clientele each serves.
Table 1: State and Quasi-Public Agencies Dealing with Housing
Agency |
Statutory Citation |
Statutory Authority and Mission |
Clientele |
DECD |
CGS § 8-37r et seq. |
DECD is the lead agency for all state housing matters. DECD’s commissioner must (a) monitor private and public sector progress toward meeting state housing needs and (b) coordinate with regional agencies, municipalities, housing authorities, and other appropriate agencies on housing policy and activities. Since 2000, and every five years thereafter, DECD’s commissioner and the CHFA, must prepare a long-range state housing plan. DECD must annually update the state housing plan. |
All income groups |
CHFA |
CGS §§ 8-250, -242, -244, and -37uu |
CHFA’s purpose is to alleviaiate the shortage of low- and moderate-income housing and, when appropriate, to promote or maintain state economic development through employer-assisted housing efforts. It provides state financial assistance for housing for low- and moderate-income people by making and purchasing mortgages on such state housing and undertaking other financing arrangements to meet the state’s needs and achieve its objectives, including mortgage loans to families and persons of low- and moderate-income for the purchase of existing housing units. CHFA is quasi-public and is not to be construed to be a department, institution, or agency of the state. The State Housing Authority is a subsidiary of CHFA. DECD transferred to CHFA its housing loan portfolio in 2003. |
Low- and Moderate-income people |
DSS |
CGS §§ 17b-2, -3, 347e, and-800 et seq |
DSS is a public housing agency; it administers the federal Section 8 existing certificate and housing voucher program. DSS’ commissioner may make grants, within available appropriations, to develop and maintain programs for homeless people (including programs for emergency shelters services, transitional housing services, on-site social services for available permanent housing and for homelessness prevention). Additionally, DSS, DECD, and CHFA collaborate on a demonstration project for subsidized assisted living services for people living in affordable housing. |
DSS clients and those qualifying |
DMHAS |
CGS §§ 17a-450 (c) (2), -455a, -468, and -485c |
DMHAS may work with public or private agencies, organizations, facilities, or individuals to ensure the operation of its programs. DMHAS’ commissioner, within available appropriations, may enter into a lease or other rental agreement for an apartment, home, or similar private residence on behalf of and for occupancy by a DMHAS client. He may contract with any private, nonprofit agency for handling patients within a halfway house setting. DHMAS’ commissioner, in collaboration with DSS’ commissioner, DECD, and CHFA established a Supportive Housing Pilot to provide up to 650 housing units of affordable housing to eligible households. |
People with psychiatric disabilities or addiction |
DMR |
CGS §§ 17a-210 (b) and -218 |
DMR’s commissioner plans, develops, and administers a comprehensive program of community-based residential facilities, including transitional facilities, group homes, community training homes, and supervised apartments for people with mental retardation. The commissioner develops the eligibility criteria for people with mental retardation for residential care in any public or state-supported private institution and may assign people, considering the recommendation of a properly designated diagnostic agency, to such institutions. |
DMR clientele |
DCP |
CGS §§ 21-65a, -67, 21a-8 (4), 20-328 |
No one may own or operate a mobile manufactured home park in the state without first applying for and receiving a DCP license. DCP has the power and duty to conduct any necessary review, inspection, or investigation regarding qualifications or applicants for licenses etc. (DCP also licenses and regulates home inspectors, real estate appraisers, and real estate brokers as well as protects home buyers. ) |
Mobile home park residents and consumers |
DMV |
CGS §§ 14-1 and 14-2 |
DMV’s commissioner must enforce the provisions of the motor vehicle statutes. The law defines as a motor vehicle, a “motor home,” which is a vehicular unit designed to provide living quarters and amenities that are an integral part of or permanently attached to a truck or van chassis. |
Motor home owners |
DOC |
CGS §§ 18-100, -100b, and -101b |
DOC’s commissioner may transfer any person from one correctional institution to another or to any public or private, nonprofit halfway house, group home, or mental health facility with concurrence by the warden, superintendent, or person in charge of the facility to which the person is being transferred, for the work-release and education-release programs. The commissioner may approve transfer to such facilities (halfway house, group home, mental health facility, or an approved community correction program) for a person who received a definite sentence of two years or less and who was confined for at least half the sentence or participated in certain programs. An inmate may reside in prison beyond his sentence to complete a drug program. |
Inmates |
OPM |
CGS §§ 4-65a, -66, -66b, -66c, and -73 |
OPM is responsible for all aspects of state planning and analysis or budgeting, management, etc. OPM’s secretary developed a form for capital development impact statements on which state agencies must indicate the way a planned or requested capital project or program addresses, among other things, the goal of promoting housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income people in urban areas. (OPM has the power to issue urban action bonds, funds from which are used for DECD housing projects). OPM assists the governor in formulating the budget for all budgeted agencies. |
State agencies and CT Citizens |
DCF |
CGS §17a-3 |
DCF must work in cooperation with other child-serving agencies and organizations to provide or arrange for preventive programs, including that provide services or placements that are clinically indicated and appropriate. It must provide a flexible, innovative, and effective program for placement, treatment, and care of children and youth committed by the court or transferred to it, or who voluntarily become clients. |
Children |
To characterize the role of each of the above agencies, DECD as stated is the lead housing agency. Although CHFA has taken over DECD’s former housing loan portfolio (a total of 16,390 units), its official responsibility is to alleviaiate the shortage of low- and moderate-income housing and to provide low- and moderate-income people with state financial assistance. CHFA achieves this by making and purchasing mortgages on such state housing and undertaking other financing arrangements to meet the state’s housing needs. OPM assists the governor in formulating the budget for all budgeted agencies, including for DECD’s state housing programs. DSS and the other agencies serve a more specific clientele or provide a specific function; thus, their roles are perhaps best described as supportive.
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