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Dear Advocates,
I am pleased to update you on Governor Lamont’s proposed biennial budget for FY26 and FY27 and provide a breakdown of funding relative to our original requests.
A state budget is a living statement of priorities, and we are extremely pleased to see the Governor’s strong commitment to improving the quality of life for our neighbors and the clear emphasis that his budget—and his speech—placed on prioritizing homelessness and affordable housing.
Last month—recognizing Connecticut’s affordable housing crisis and the increases in homelessness—we crafted a legislative agenda calling for $33.5 million in annualized prevention, crisis response and housing funding to set a strategic pathway forward.
The Governor included the following in his budget proposal for FY 2026 and FY 2027:
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$5 million to support eviction prevention efforts and the Coordinated Access Network (CAN) Hubs. These funds are critical to support families, individuals and our neighbors across the state. We are asking for an annualized $5.3 million for an Eviction Prevention Partnership and $5.5 million for CAN Hub and Diversion Services, as these services are vital to prevent homelessness before it begins and to ensure an effective response for our neighbors experiencing homelessness.
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$4.5 million in both FY 2026 and FY 2027 from the Opioid Settlement Fund to the Department of Housing to support Cold Weather Emergency Response for the homeless. We are asking the legislature to ensure $5 million in annualized funding for these lifesaving Cold Weather Emergency Response.
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$10.3 million to reflect increased housing costs, including Housing/Homeless Services, across several line items. We appreciate being included in this proposal and as planned, we will continue to ask for $9 million specifically for homeless response services to ensure the long-term stability and strength of Connecticut's Homeless Response System in FY 2026 and adjusted & indexed to inflation thereafter.
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$58.6 million in Opioid Settlement funds to support 500 new units of supportive housing over four years for individuals with opioid use disorder who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. This funding will support housing subsidies, case management, trauma-informed wrap-around services and flex funding. These funds will be pivotal to those in need. We are grateful for the Governor's commitment to these significant investments, which represent nearly 100% of our request in this area.
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Additional funding of $4.2 million is provided in FY 2027 to support Rental Assistance Program (RAP) Vouchers for the elderly and persons with disabilities. RAPs help those living on fixed incomes and at a high risk of homelessness try to keep pace with rising housing costs.
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Head Start on Housing Collaboration: Additional funding of $750,000 is provided in the Office of Early Childhood’s Head Start Services account and $4.5 million for the Department of Housing’s Head Start on Housing Rental Assistance Program to continue their innovative partnership.
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New funding--resulting from revenue maximization activities related to the state's Substance Use Disorder (SUD) waiver—$15.6 million in FY 2026 annualized to $17.9 million in FY 2027. Housing plays a significant role in influencing substance use, particularly opioid use, and affects both the risk of addiction and recovery outcomes. One-third of the 4,500 individuals identified as homeless in the most recent point-in-time count were identified as having a substance use issue. These funds will fuel significant investments in the continuum of services for individuals with substance use needs, including rate increases for SUD providers, new adolescent residential beds, sober housing, recovery housing, the pick-up of a once ARPA-funded recovery house for the Judicial Branch Court Support Services Division and specialty services for childbearing women and new mothers.
What’s next?
This is a great place to start, especially in this time of rising homelessness and uncertainty in federal funding. So please join me in thanking Governor Lamont by emailing him at this link. It’s so important for him to hear how much we appreciate his emphasis on housing and homelessness.
Now, it is the legislature’s turn to build their budget, and we need to secure sustainable investments from the General Assembly by adopting our $33.5 million proposal of annualized and inflation-indexed funding for prevention, crisis response and housing.
We will be bringing the voices of the people experiencing homelessness along with providers, partners and advocates to the Capitol so that lawmakers know how critical it is that they include the full $33.5 million we have requested in the budget they produce.
Thank you all for the incredibly important work that you do.
Sincerely,
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