CT Insider | By: Alex Putterman
Connecticut faces a severe shortage of rental housing for its poorest residents, a new report shows, contributing to a statewide rise in homelessness in recent years.
According to the report, from the National Low-Income Housing Coalition, Connecticut has only one unit of affordable and available rental housing for every three households classified as “extremely low income.” About 87% of these households spend more than 30% of their income on rent, the report says, while 73% spend more than half their income on rent.
Sean Ghio, policy director for the Hartford-based Partnership for Strong Communities, notes that the shortage of housing for low-income residents has only increased in recent years. In 2019, the state had 42 affordable rental units for every 100 extremely low-income households, as compared to 33 today.
“Looking at these reports, the situation is getting more dire for Connecticut’s lowest-income families,” Ghio said.