Governor Lamont Announces Plans To Use Emergency State Response Reserve for Homelessness Prevention

(HARTFORD, CT) - Governor Ned Lamont today announced that in the coming days he will submit a plan to the bipartisan leadership of the Connecticut General Assembly to use funding from the recently created Emergency State Response Reserveto support homelessness prevention and response services throughout Connecticut.

The funds, which are being calculated and are anticipated to amount to at least $5.2 million, will be used by providers in the state that receive funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Continuum of Care program. That program is the federal government's primary homelessness prevention and support services grant program, and it has been put on pause indefinitely nationwide.

"So many families, veterans, older adults, and people with disabilities depend on the federal government's Continuum of Care program to stay in their homes, and it is essential that these grants continue so that people do not fall into homelessness and create a potentially crisis situation," Governor Lamont said. "It is a shame that these funds are being withheld by the federal government and I urge HUD to continue this program immediately. In the meantime, Connecticut will do everything we can to stand with our providers and ensure that these essential programs are able to continue."

Created in November through Special Act 25-1, the Emergency State Response Reserve was established to facilitate Connecticut's response to millions of dollars in federal cuts toward essential health and human services programs that are being made by President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans. The Connecticut General Assembly and Governor Lamont set aside $500 million in surplus funding for this purpose, and the enabling statute authorizes the governor to quickly act to offset some of these federal cuts as he determines is necessary while also providing for legislative oversight.

The plan that Governor Lamont will soon submit to legislative leaders for the use of this reserve will also include an allocation to partly offset the loss of enhanced federal tax credits that support the costs of health insurance for tens of thousands of Connecticut residents who receive coverage through Access Health CT.

As required under Special Act 25-1, legislative leaders will have 24 hours upon receipt of the plan to review and - if they choose - disapprove of the expenditures before the funds can be legally transferred.