Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies
(a) Community Development Action Plan (CDAP)
Program Description: The CDAP provides an opportunity for Connecticut municipalities to examine needs and problems, and to schedule activities to meet these needs over at least a five-year period. Twelve community functions are studied (education, housing, health, recreation, social services, economic development, public utilities and services, public protection, transportation and circulation, culture, interpersonal communications, and general municipal government) in terms of four aspects: physical, human resource, economic and administrative. The state may pay 75% of the cost of each CDAP, as approved by the commissioner. (Sec. 8-207), (See 8-220 [c]).
Basic Eligibility: All municipalities in Connecticut are eligible for the CDAP program.
Eligible Costs: May include, but are not limited to: rent and utilities. intra-state travel, consumable supplies, personnel, consultant costs repairs and maintenance, insurance, interest and certain legal aid accounting costs.
Local share may be provided in the form of cash or in-kind contribution, or a combination of the two. Local share may be provided from any source, public or private, organization or individual, except the following which are ineligible for inclusion in local share: (1) federal funds (2) items or services paid for by federal funds (3) funds from other state agencies (4) items or services paid for by other state agencies.
(b) Housing Code Enforcement
Program Description: The commissioner may provide a grant-in-aid to the municipality equal to two-thirds of the cost of the program, as approved by the commissioner, for two years after the execution of the assistance agreement, and equal to one-half of the cost of the program as approved by the commissioner for an additional period not to exceed three years. The department may provide a grant-in-aid equal to one-half of the amount by which the cost of a federally assisted housing code enforcement program, as approved by the commissioner, exceeds the federal grant-in-aid thereof, for a period not to exceed five (5) years.
Basic Eligibility: The municipality must have a housing code ordinance. If the program is a concentrated housing code enforcement program under the federal housing act of 1949, as amended, the municipality must have an approved contract with the federal department of housing and urban development.
Eligible Costs: May include, but are not limited to: rent, utilities, intra-state travel, consumable supplies, and personnel.
State funds may not be used to reduce the level of local expenditures previously made to the program.
(c) Demolition
Program Description: The commissioner may provide a grant-in-aid to a municipality equal to two-thirds of the net project cost of the demolition program, as approved by the commissioner. The commissioner may provide a grant-in-aid equal to one-half of the amount by which the net cost of a federally assisted demolition program, as approved by the commissioner, exceeds the federal grant-in-aid thereof, for those projects financed under the federal housing act of 1949, as amended. (Sec. 8-209).
Basic Eligibility: Any municipality with structures, that under state or local law, have been determined to be structurally unsound or unfit for human habitation and which the municipality has the authority to demolish, or any municipality that has entered into a demolition contract with the department of housing and urban development, is eligible.
Eligible Costs: May include, but are not limited to: administrative costs, demolition of structures and cost of clearing site, breaking up and removal of abandoned street paving, curbs, gutters and sidewalks, rough grading, rodent eradication, and the capping of public utilities.
(d) Urban Beautification:
Program Description: The commissioner may provide a grant-in-aid equal to one-half of the amount by which the net cost of a federally assisted program, as approved by the commissioner, exceeds the federal grant-in-aid thereof, for a program to expand community activities in the beautification and improvement of publicly owned and controlled land in urban areas. (Sec. 8-209 (b)).
Basic Eligibility: Any municipality with an approved contract with the department of housing and urban development under the housing and urban development act of 1965, as amended, is eligible for this program.
Eligible Costs: May include, but are not limited to, upgrading, development and beautification of waterfronts, streets, squares, parks, recreational areas and other public lands are eligible as per department of housing and urban development guidelines.
(e) Child Day Care and Neighborhood Facilities
Program Description: The commissioner may provide financial assistance for a project of development of neighborhood facilities and child day care facilities for carrying out programs of health, recreational, social or similar community services. The commissioner may provide a grant-in-aid equal to (1) two-thirds of the net project cost of the project, as approved by the commissioner, or (2) where the project is assisted by the federal department of housing and urban development, under the federal housing and urban development act of 1965, as amended, one-half of the amount by which the net cost of the project, as approved by the commissioner, exceeds the federal grant-in-aid thereof. (Sec. 8-210).
Basic Eligibility: The applicant must be a municipality, or a human resource development agency, as defined in Section 8-221 of the Connecticut General Statutes (P.A. 74-289). Where the project is assisted by the federal department of housing and urban development, the municipality must have an approved contract with that department.
(f)—(r) Repealed, April 21, 1986.
(s) Reserved.
(t) Repealed, see section 8-289-7.
(u) Purpose: These regulations describe the state emergency fuel assistance program to low income families not receiving state or local assistance pursuant to Public Act 78-184, 1978 session, Connecticut General Assembly.
1. All state funds allotted to the department of community affairs for the purposes set forth in Public Act 78-184, and these regulations, shall be granted to local human resource development agencies, as defined in section 8-221 CGS, (hereinafter referred to as "grantee(s)",) by the commissioner of community affairs, and such funds shall be expended by such human resource development agencies in accordance with sections 2 through 9 inclusive, of these regulations.
2. For purposes of this section: a. "Low income family or household" means any person or related group of persons who live together whose income does not exceed 125% of the federal community services administration poverty guidelines for non-farm families, for the preceding twelve month period from date of application. More than one household may reside in a single family dwelling.
b. "Emergency" means any situation in which a low income family or household has an actual or threatened termination of any fuel, or is unable to obtain utility service, or is unable to locate a company willing to provide oil or gas.
c. "Fuel" or "utility service" means any fuel or utility used for heating, hot water, or electricity.
d. "Applicant" means any person inquiring about and/or filling out written application for emergency fuel assistance.
e. "Income" means gross earnings no higher than 125% of the prevailing federal community services administration poverty guidelines for a nonfarm family, except that earnings of minors in the household who are students at least part-time shall be excluded in the calculation of income.
3. State grants are available to all low income families and households except:
a. Households receiving assistance under "aid to families with dependent children."
b. Households receiving assistance under "aid to families with dependent children—unemployed fathers."
c. Households receiving assistance through any state or municipal funded general assistance program.
4. State emergency fuel assistance grants to low income families or households shall not exceed the sum of one hundred dollars ($100.) during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1979, such grants shall be subject to the availability of funds appropriated for this purpose and shall be disbursed in the order the grantee agency receives the application.
5. Grantee distribution of such funds shall be under the following conditions when an emergency exists. a. Eligible applicants will be first referred by the human resources development agency to any other agency conducting an emergency fuel assistance program for which the applicant appears to qualify and which has funds actually available for emergency fuel assistance.
b. Eligible applicants who cannot be referred will be assisted from any other funds available to grantees.
c. When all other possibilities have been exhausted, payments may be made from state appropriated emergency fuel assistance grant funds.
d. The grantee agency shall advise eligible applicants as to the best way to maximize the benefits available to that applicant by providing him/her with information on the amount of the maximum grant and how to obtain it. Grantee agency workers shall assist applicants in completing application forms and in locating translators for applicants who are not fluent in English.
e. The minimum oil delivery financed by state appropriated emergency fuel assistance grant funds will not normally be less than 150 gallons. Grantees may vary this requirement if warranted.
f. Emergency fuel assistance grants shall be by direct vendor payment.
g. In any case where a low income family or household has been found eligible for assistance and has been unable to obtain fuel delivery or reinstatement or provision of utility service or is threatened with a termination of service, the human resources development agency worker shall assist the eligible applicant by directly contacting a fuel company willing to make deliveries or the utility company involved, to notify the company of the vendor payment and to arrange for fuel delivery or reinstatement or provision of service or to avoid a threatened termination. Where appropriate, the worker shall assist the eligible applicant in working out an amortization agreement with the company on that portion of the applicant's bill which will not be covered by the grant.
6. Grantees must establish a separate bank account for each grant. Bank fund agreements are required for each account. Any interim measures available to grantees to finance payments from other sources, pending establishment of said new bank account(s), are authorized.
7. Weekly and cumulative reports from grantees are required during the effective dates of a grant program, and shall contain as a minimum the following information:
a. Number of households served.
b. Total funds expended from the grant fund and from all sources as of the reporting date.
c. Total funds remaining in the grant fund, and from all sources as of the reporting date.
d. Number of applicants found ineligible during the week, and how they were referred or otherwise assisted.
e. Comments including, specifically, information on abuses or gouging by any vendors.
8. At completion of the grant program, each grantee will submit, to the department of community affairs, a final financial report, and a final program report, summarizing all data that have been reported pursuant to the above listed required data.
9. The department of community affairs may develop and issue other adminstrative and programmatic instructions as required in order to execute this grant program.
(v) Repealed, January 6, 1987.
(Effective December 17, 1981)