(a) The Department of Housing shall, in consultation with the State-Assisted Housing Sustainability Advisory Committee, established pursuant to section 8-37zz, establish and maintain the State-Assisted Housing Sustainability Fund for the purpose of the preservation of eligible housing. The moneys of the fund shall be available to the department to provide financial assistance to the owners of eligible housing for the maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, and modernization of eligible housing and for other activities consistent with preservation of eligible housing, including, but not limited to, (1) emergency repairs to abate actual or imminent emergency conditions that would result in the loss of habitable housing units, (2) major system repairs or upgrades, including, but not limited to, repairs or upgrades to roofs, windows, mechanical systems and security, (3) reduction of vacant units, (4) remediation or abatement of hazardous materials, including lead, (5) increases in development mobility and sensory impaired accessibility in units, common areas and accessible routes, (6) relocation costs and alternative housing for not more than sixty days, necessary because of the failure of a major building system, and (7) a comprehensive physical needs assessment. Financial assistance shall be awarded to applicants consistent with standards and criteria adopted in consultation with the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to housing.
(b) In each of the fiscal years ending June 30, 2008, and June 30, 2009, the department may expend not more than seven hundred fifty thousand dollars from the fund for reasonable administrative costs related to the operation of the fund, including the expenses of the State-Assisted Housing Sustainability Advisory Committee, the development of analytic tools and research concerning the capital and operating needs of eligible housing for the purpose of advising the General Assembly on policy regarding eligible housing and the study required by section 107 of public act 07-4 of the June special session*. Thereafter, the department shall prepare an administrative budget.
(c) The department may adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, to implement the provisions of this section and sections 8-37xx, 8-37zz and 8-37aaa. Such regulations shall establish guidelines for grants and loans, and a process for certifying an emergency condition in not more than forty-eight hours and for committing emergency funds, including costs of resident relocation, if necessary, not more than five business days after application by the owner of eligible housing for emergency repair financial assistance.
(d) In reviewing applications and providing financial assistance under this section, the department, in consultation with the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to housing, shall consider the long-term viability of the eligible housing and the likelihood that financial assistance will assure such long-term viability. As used in this section, “viability” includes, but is not limited to, continuous habitability and adequate operating cash flow to maintain the existing physical plant and any capital improvements and to provide basic services required under the lease and otherwise required by local codes and ordinances.
(e) Annually, on or before March thirty-first, the department shall submit a report on the operation of the fund, for the previous calendar year, to the General Assembly, in accordance with section 8-37qqq. The report shall include an analysis of the distribution of funds and an evaluation of the performance of said fund and may include recommendations for modification to the program.
(June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-4, S. 104; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-5, S. 2; P.A. 11-168, S. 1; P.A. 13-234, S. 22.)
*Note: Section 107 of public act 07-4 of the June special session is special in nature and therefore has not been codified but remains in full force and effect according to its terms.
History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-4 effective June 29, 2007; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-5 amended Subsec. (c) to insert Subdiv. (1) designator, substitute regulations to implement section and Secs. 8-37xx, 8-37zz and 8-37aaa for procedures to implement section, and insert Subdiv. (2) to require written policies and procedures while in the process of adopting regulations, effective October 6, 2007; P.A. 11-168 amended Subsecs. (a) and (d) by replacing references to State-Assisted Housing Sustainability Advisory Committee with references to joint standing committee of General Assembly having cognizance of matters re housing, amended Subsec. (b) by deleting requirement that budget be approved by State-Assisted Housing Sustainability Advisory Committee, amended Subsec. (c) by changing “shall” to “may” re adoption of regulations, by deleting requirement that guidelines for grants and loans provide for deferred payment of principal and interest and by deleting former Subdiv. (2) re policies and procedures, amended Subsec. (e) by replacing reference to Sec. 11-4a with reference to Sec. 32-1m, and made technical and conforming changes, effective July 13, 2011; P.A. 13-234 amended Subsec. (a) by substituting “Department of Housing” for “Department of Economic and Community Development”, and amended Subsec. (e) by changing timing for annual report and substituting reference to Sec. 8-37qqq for reference to Sec. 32-1m re report, effective July 1, 2013.