By MJ Shannon
State Rep., D-117
MJ Shannon
Connecticut has spent years building one of the most coordinated and effective homelessness response systems in the country. This progress has always been rooted in dignity, strong local partnerships and evidence-based solutions.
Today, that foundation is at serious risk. Recent federal actions threaten programs that keep more than 9,000 people in our state safely housed each year, including many right here in Milford and Orange.
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development is preparing to impose new requirements on the Continuum of Care program, the primary source of federal funding for housing and homelessness services. These changes would pressure communities to criminalize homelessness in order to remain eligible for funding. They would require treatment participation as a condition of tenancy, penalize programs that use the proven “housing first” model, and limit the ability of local providers to make decisions based on the needs of their own communities. These requirements conflict with decades of bipartisan policy focused on helping people remain stably housed.
Connecticut is also facing immediate challenges created by the federal government shutdown and delays in releasing the current year’s funding notice. If these delays continue, many of Connecticut’s housing contracts will begin to expire in early 2026 without federal renewal.
HUD is also proposing limits on the amount of funding that can be used for permanent housing, which would reduce Connecticut’s permanent supportive housing programs by as much as 70 percent. That reduction would occur even if all other federal funding remained intact.
These programs serve older adults, families with children, people with disabilities, veterans and survivors of domestic violence. They support more than 1,000 landlord contracts and over 400 workers who provide outreach, case management and housing assistance.
Without these programs, Connecticut would face mass evictions, significant layoffs and a sharp increase in homelessness. The financial impact would be just as severe. It costs the state about $36 a day to keep someone housed, while an emergency room visit can exceed $1,600 and a night in jail costs far more than supportive housing. If people lose their homes, hospitals, shelters and public safety systems will face enormous strain.
Connecticut has the knowledge, capacity and history of collaboration needed to prevent this crisis. Lawmakers, advocates, service providers and community leaders must work together to develop a responsible solution that protects residents and preserves the stability of our homelessness response system. The partnerships that built this system are the same partnerships that will be needed to safeguard it.
Connecticut has always chosen compassion, stability and smart, long-term investment over short-term fixes. By working together now, we can protect thousands of residents from losing their homes and ensure that the system our communities rely on remains strong for years to come.