BOS COVID-19Office Hours April 1, 2021

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Agenda• Welcome• Updates

◦ CT DOH◦ CCEH• American Rescue Plan (ARP) Updates• UniteCT Updates - Dawn Parker• Connecticut Association for Human Services – Financial

Services Programs - Tori Hamilton & Luz Holmes• Next Steps & Resources

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Department of Housing Updates

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CCEH Updates

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HMISCOVID Vaccine/Testing UpdateL I NDA CA S EY, D I RECTO R HM IS & STRATEG IC A NA LYS I S , CCEH

April 1, 2021

Number Vaccinatedas of March 31, 2021

119Vaccinated

Complete Vaccination:

68

Partial Vaccination:

34

Clients Refused:

116 have been entered as ‘No Vaccination’

Vaccines

J&J9%

Moderna31%

Pfizer29%

Unknown31%

Total Vaccine Entries by CAN

13

72

12

22

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Eastern

Fairfield

Greater Hartford

Greater New Haven

Vaccine Status by CAN

82 1

51

26

8

44

12 12

05

101520253035404550

Eastern Fairfield Greater Hartford Greater New HavenClient Refused No vaccination Partial vaccination Vaccination complete

COVID Testing

63 328

333166 262

120 158309

115 106 85 69391

724890

1152 12721430

1739 18542110

23462524

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

Apr-20 May-20 Jun-20 Jul-20 Aug-20 Sep-20 Oct-20 Nov-20 Dec-20 Jan-21 Feb-21 Mar-21

CT HMIS Monthly vs Cumulative Tests

BY MONTH CUMULATIVE

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8

4

23 3

4

12

98

3

6

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Apr-20 May-20 Jun-20 Jul-20 Aug-20 Sep-20 Oct-20 Nov-20 Dec-20 Jan-21 Feb-21 Mar-21

CT HMIS Positive Tests By Month

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Funding for Persons At-Risk of/ExperiencingHomelessness

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Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 (CRRSAA) & American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) Funding:• $43 billion: Emergency Rental Assistance Program• $5 billion: Emergency Housing Vouchers• $5 billion: Homelessness Assistance and Supportive

Services Program

CoC 2020 award nationally is $2.5 billion

ARP – Emergency Housing Vouchers • $5 billion nationally• Tenant-based rental assistance• Accessed through Public Housing Authorities• For people experiencing/at-risk of homelessness• Recipients get vouchers as long as needed to afford housing,

but PHAs may not reissue to new households after 9/30/23

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ARP - Homelessness Assistance and Supportive Services Program

$5 billion via HOME Program• Tenant-based rental assistance•Affordable housing• Supportive services - housing

counseling, homelessnessprevention services, transitionalhousing.•Acquisition and development of

non-congregate shelter units -may be converted topermanent affordable housing

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ARP - Emergency Rental Assistance Program• $21.55 billion in additional funding for the Emergency

Rental Assistance Program (ERAP)- approximately doublessize of program• Administered through DOH UniteCT program - For more

details see UniteCT slides

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ARP – Economic Impact Payments• $1,400 per person/dependent for

vIndividuals earning under $75KvHeads of household earning under $112.5KvMarried joint filers earning under $150K

• Dependent = children <17, dependent college students, somepeople with disabilities

• Use most recent tax return (2019 or 2020) to determineeligibility & # of dependents

IRS Get my payment tool

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ARP – Extended Unemployment Benefits• Extended through 9/6/21o $300/week federal supplement for all workers

receiving unemploymento Covers people not eligible for regular unemployment

benefits, e.g., self-employed, gig workers, part-time• Increases # of weeks workers can claim state

unemployment (now 74 weeks)

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ARP – Child Tax Credit & Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)• Increases annual child tax credit to:o $3K/child 6 years and oldero $3.6K/child <6 years old

• Full credit available to more familieso Includes families with low/no earningso Extends credit to 17-year-oldso Can claim children regardless tax ID or immigration status

• Substantially increases EITC for workers not raising childreno From about $540 to $1500 annuallyo Increases income cap from about $16K to at least $21Ko Lowers qualifying age from 25 to 19 (18 if homeless)o Eliminates maximum age

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ARP – Tax Credit Advanced Payments• IRS to pay half in advance.

• Will send out periodic payment from July throughDecember to eligible families

• Based on most recent return filed (2020 or 2019)

• Low-income families protected from repaymentso Individuals under $40K, Heads of household under $50K,

married couples under $60K

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ARP – Health Insurance

• Medicaid & Children’s Health Insurance Program

(CHIP) fully cover:

o COVID-19 vaccines, testing and treatment

• People who make up to 150% of federal poverty

level pay no Affordable Care Act (ACA) premiums:

• $19K for a single person; $39K for a family of four

•Premiums capped at 8.5% of income

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Dawn Parker, Director of UniteCT

Email: DOH-UniteCT@ct.govCall center: 1-844-UniteCT or 1-844-864-8328

Summary of Project

• The goal of UniteCT is to help stabilizeConnecticut’s Rental Housing Market

• This $235 million program will providerental and utility payment assistance toqualified Connecticut householdsfinancially impacted by the COVID-19pandemic

• The program will financially supporthouseholds up to 80% of the HUD AreaMedian Income

• Launch date Monday, March 15th

Summary of Project (continued)• Funding

• Rental assistance• $10,000 cap for rental assistance• Arrears

• UniteCT will pay 85% of the rental arrears for the 6 months prior to the application• Landlord will write off 15% of those 6 months of arrears

• Prospectus• UniteCT will pay 3 months of prospectus rent, then applicant needs to recertify for

another 3 months• Breakdown of support for prospectus rent payments

• 0-30% of AMI, applicant pays 0%• 31-40% of AMI, applicant pays 10%• 41-50 of AMI%, applicants pay 20%• 51-60% of AMI, applicants pay 30%

• Utility assistance• $1,500 cap for utility assistance

• Timeline• Funds committed by September 2021, and disbursed by December 2021

Eligibility

• Eligible CT Households• Those who have qualified for unemployment or

have experienced a reduction in householdincome, incurred significant costs, or experienceda financial hardship due to COVID-19

• Demonstrates a risk of experiencinghomelessness or housing instability

• Household income at or below 80% of the HUDAMI• Priority will be made to eligible household with an

income less than 50% of AMI or with one or moremembers of the household who have beenunemployed for 90 days

• List of requirement documentation can be found onthe UniteCT website• http://www.bit.ly/UniteCT

Map located on the UniteCT website

The Software: Yardi

• Features• Online portal

• Applicants can fill out on mobile device orcomputer

• Includes both tenant and landlordparticipation

• Applicant can track progress andsubmission status

• Online trainings will be available

Documents Tenants Need

Documents Landlords Need

Community Partnerships• 13 Housing Counseling Agencies

• BNT (Building Neighborhoods Together), Capital forChange, Community Renewal Team, Mutual HousingAssociation of Greater Hartford, Mutual HousingAssociation of South Central Connecticut,Neighborhood Housing Services of New Britain,Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven,Neighborhood Housing Services of Waterbury, TheWorkplace, Urban League of Greater Hartford, UrbanLeague of Southern Connecticut, AmeriNat and theHousing Development Fund

• Additional partnerships• Statewide Legal Services• CIRI – Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants• United Way 211 info line• The Workplace Toll Free Call Center• The UniteCT mobile technology bus

•Who else can help with applications• Anyone with a cell phone or computer connected to the

internet

• People or places you can go for help:

• Family

• Friends

• Neighbors

• Libraries

• Municipalities

• Churches

• Schools

Community Partners

• Engagement• THRAP applicants, that were not previously assisted, will be sent an invitation to

apply on March 10th

• Housing Counseling Agencies will have co-branded marketing toolkits

• Information will be posted on DOH Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts• Our social media handle for all platforms is @CTDeptHousing

•Outreach & Multimedia campaign• Marketing materials translated in Spanish and Portuguese

• We are engaging to work with minority newspapers, radio stations, and TVstations

Marketing & Media

Questions?

The Layered Approach to Creating FinanciallyCapable Individuals & Families

Educating, Equipping and Empowering with a Holistic View

CT Association for Human Services

About CAHSThe Connecticut Association for Human Services (CAHS) changes the lives of low-income

children and families across Connecticut by pioneering pathways from poverty to

opportunity and from financial insecurity to capability and success. Visit us online at

www.cahs.org

Our Vision

A Connecticut where all children and families thrive,

regardless of income, and contribute to and share in

the state’s growth. A Connecticut where low-income

residents work with government, business, labor and faith leaders in developing

policies and programs that ensure Connecticut’s prosperity, as well as their own.

The Integrated Programs of CAHS

CT Money School (CMS)

Youth Money School (YMS)

Financial Coaching

Volunteer Income

Tax Assistance

(VITA)

Bank On Connecticut

Hartford Financial Navigator

New Haven FEC

Policy

Connecticut Association for Human Services

Empower all families to build a secure future.

Hartford Financial Navigator Program

Hartford Financial Navigator Program

Financial Empowerment Center

The Financial Empowerment Center in New Haven is a "one-stop shop" that is helping New Haven residents improve their financial well-being. It offers free one-on-one intensive financial counseling that includes money management, budgeting, debt relief, and tax assistance services.

The Financial Empowerment Center is located at:

316 Dixwell Avenue, New Haven CT 06511Monday-Friday 9am-5pm(203) 946-8523

Bank On ConnecticutBank On Connecticut not only connects residents with safe and affordable bank accounts but also works to disrupt the negative connotation associated with the banking institution today.

The accounts must meet the Bank On National Account Standards, which highlights critical product features for a safe and affordable account. The accounts that we promote are the Bank of America Advantage Safe Balance account, the Chase Securing Banking account, the KeyBank Hassle-free account, and the Wells Fargo Easy Pay Card.

Bank On Connecticut

EIP

Economic Impact Payments are funds to help people during the coronavirus pandemic.

The 2021 Economic Impact Payments are now on the way.

We’re now sending the 2021 Economic Impact Payments in accordance with the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, signed into law on March 11, 2021.

Check when and how your payment was sent with the Get My Payment tool.

Get My PaymentDidn’t Get the Full First and Second Payments? Claim the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit

If you didn’t get the full amount of the first or second Economic Impact Payments, you may be eligible to claim the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit and must file a 2020 tax return even if you don’t normally file. The third Economic Impact Payment will not be used to calculate the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit.Claim 2020 Recovery Rebate Credithttps://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments

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Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)

Thank You!

Announcement: Federal Eviction Moratorium Extended

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• CDC Eviction Moratorium extended through June 30, 2021

• CT Fair Housing Center - Eviction Moratoriums UpdatesPresentation from 10/20/20 Recording & Slides fromPresentation

• FAQ on moratoriums

• If tenant receives eviction papers, immediately apply forfree legal assistance by calling Statewide Legal Services

• 1-800-453-3320 (Monday – Friday, 9 am - 12 pm & 1 - 2 pm)

• For more legal information, visit -- www.CTLawHelp.org

BOS Steering Committee & COVID-19 Office Hours Meeting Schedule

SC Meeting Schedule for 2021(generally 3rd Friday of each month)• April 16, 2021; 11-12:30• May 21, 2021; 11-12:30• June 18, 2021; 11-12:30• July 16, 2021; 11-12:30(Semi-annual meeting)• August 20, 2021; 11-12:30• September 17, 2021; 11-12:30

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Zoom Info for all SC & COVID-19 Office Hours mtgsMeeting linkMeeting ID: 956 4487 8479Password: 414595Call-in number: 646-876-9923

COVID-19 Office HoursMay 7; 11-12June 4; 11-12

COVID-19 Webinars

CCEH COVID-19 Webinars

CSH: The Supportive Housing Field Responds to COVID-19

NAEH COVID—19 Online Learning Series

USICH COVID-19 Webinars

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COVID-19 ResourcesCT BOS - http://www.ctbos.org/covid-19-resources/

State of CT - www.ct.gov/coronavirus

CCEH/DOH - https://cceh.org/2020/03/13/11330/

DMHAS - https://portal.ct.gov/DMHAS/Newsworthy/News-Items/DMHAS-Response-to-COVID-19

HUD - https://www.hudexchange.info/homelessness-assistance/diseases/#covid-19-community-planning-and-preparedness

CDC – homelessness landing page

National Healthcare for the Homeless – https://nhchc.org/clinical-practice/diseases-and-conditions/influenza/

USICH - https://www.usich.gov/tools-for-action/coronavirus-covid-19-resources

CSH COVID-19 Supportive Housing Community Platform - https://csh.csod.com/

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CoC Support - Contact InfoCT BOS CoCctboscoc@gmail.comSuzanne Wagnerswagner@housinginnovations.usHoward Burchmanhburchman@housinginnovations.usAndrea Whiteawhite@housinginnovations.usLauren Paretilpareti@housinginnovations.usMyles Wensekmylesw@housinginnovations.usLiz Isaacslisaacs@housinginnovations.usShannon Quinn-Sheeranshannon@housinginnovations.us

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