Respectfully submitted by Alison Rivard, Social Policy Director and Barbara Quincy, Housing Specialist
The League of Women Voters of Connecticut urges opposition to HB 5894, An Act Delaying the Establishment of the Department of Housing. LWVCT supports public funding and land use policies to encourage affordable housing production and rehabilitation, as well as encouragement of private sector investment in affordable housing.
The General Assembly, as Public Act 12-1 of the June 2012 Special Session, authorized a new Department of Housing and the consolidation of programs relating to housing, including policy, development, redevelopment, preservation, maintenance and improvement of housing and neighborhoods. The Interagency Council on Affordable Housing was created to plan and implement the new department. The Interagency Council has met eight times between July 2012 and January 2013, and has already formulated recommendations on transfer of programs from the Departments of Economic and Community Development, Social Services, Mental Health and Addiction Services and the Office of Policy Management, as well as a timeline for implementation.
The Department of Housing is designed to achieve greater efficiency and efficacy in programs and brings little budgetary impact, as programs transferred bring their prior agency funding with them. Grants from the above departments have helped fund the planning and transition work.
The League of Women Voters of CT urges this Committee to permit the consolidation process to continue. As Connecticut continues to fall short on adequate affordable housing, and rental costs outpace income, the public will be better served by the consolidation of housing programs into a new Department of Housing. The consolidation transfers programs and responsibilities from several branches of government, and the fiscal impact will be minimal, as most services already exist and will be merely transferred to the new department.
The League urges a NO vote on HB 5894.
The League of Women Voters of Connecticut urges opposition to HB 5894, An Act Delaying the Establishment of the Department of Housing. LWVCT supports public funding and land use policies to encourage affordable housing production and rehabilitation, as well as encouragement of private sector investment in affordable housing.
The General Assembly, as Public Act 12-1 of the June 2012 Special Session, authorized a new Department of Housing and the consolidation of programs relating to housing, including policy, development, redevelopment, preservation, maintenance and improvement of housing and neighborhoods. The Interagency Council on Affordable Housing was created to plan and implement the new department. The Interagency Council has met eight times between July 2012 and January 2013, and has already formulated recommendations on transfer of programs from the Departments of Economic and Community Development, Social Services, Mental Health and Addiction Services and the Office of Policy Management, as well as a timeline for implementation.
The Department of Housing is designed to achieve greater efficiency and efficacy in programs and brings little budgetary impact, as programs transferred bring their prior agency funding with them. Grants from the above departments have helped fund the planning and transition work.
The League of Women Voters of CT urges this Committee to permit the consolidation process to continue. As Connecticut continues to fall short on adequate affordable housing, and rental costs outpace income, the public will be better served by the consolidation of housing programs into a new Department of Housing. The consolidation transfers programs and responsibilities from several branches of government, and the fiscal impact will be minimal, as most services already exist and will be merely transferred to the new department.
The League urges a NO vote on HB 5894.
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