EDITORIAL: Averting homeless crisis

Jun. 25—Among the highest priorities as the state and nation continue the recovery from the COVID-19 economic outfall is keeping people housed.

This week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that a federal freeze on most evictions, enacted in 2020, has been extended by another month, to July 31. States, however, can enact their own eviction moratorium rules and the one set by Connecticut is set to expire Wednesday. At that time, landlords can file for evictions for unpaid rent.

While Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont should consider matching the CDC move, continuing moratoriums are no solution. Landlords too must pay their bills. They say some tenants have taken unfair advantage of the situation. But most of these tenants face the genuine threat of finding themselves homeless.

The good news is that Congress, through the American Rescue Plan, has provided the means to maneuver through this difficult transition period. In Connecticut, about $400 million in COVID-19 relief money has been set aside for rental and utility payment assistance. Tenants, using the UniteCT program, can access up to $15,000 to pay back rent and $1,500 for utility bills to avoid eviction or shutoffs. The payments go directly to the landlord or utility.

Tenants can apply for relief at https://portal.ct.gov/DOH/DOH/Programs/UniteCT or, in this region, by calling the TVCCA at 860-889-1365 or the New London Homeless Hospitality Center at 860-439-1573.

The Department of Housing has done a good job of standing up this emergency program in short order and the Associated Press reports that as of June 23 more than $17 million in assistance had been approved for nearly 2,400 applicants.

Avoiding a rash of evictions and a spike in homelessness is the immediate challenge. But long term the bigger issue is a lack of affordable housing and inadequate rental assistance programs. It is a situation that will only be aggravated by the recent sharp increases in housing prices.

Unfortunately, there was little progress seen on the affordable housing front in the most recent legislative session and suburban towns remain resistant to the zoning and land-use changes that will be necessary to provide it.

Rallying to avert the immediate housing emergency is not enough. There is a long-term emergency that also must be confronted.

The Day editorial board meets regularly with political, business and community leaders and convenes weekly to formulate editorial viewpoints. It is composed of President and Publisher Tim Dwyer, Editorial Page Editor Paul Choiniere, Managing Editor Izaskun E. Larrañeta, staff writer Erica Moser and retired deputy managing editor Lisa McGinley. However, only the publisher and editorial page editor are responsible for developing the editorial opinions. The board operates independently from the Day newsroom.