2005 Connecticut Code - Sec. 8-361. Pilot program for acquisition and rehabilitation of abandoned property into single room occupancy housing for homeless persons.

      Sec. 8-361. Pilot program for acquisition and rehabilitation of abandoned property into single room occupancy housing for homeless persons. (a) The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development shall develop a pilot program for the acquisition and rehabilitation of abandoned property in targeted investment communities, as defined in section 32-222. The state, acting by and in the discretion of the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, may enter into a contract with a nonprofit organization for a grant, loan or deferred loan for the costs of acquisition, rehabilitation or renovation of abandoned property into single room occupancy housing for homeless persons. In the case of a deferred loan, the contract shall require that all or a portion of the interest is due currently but that payments on principal may be made at a later time. As used in this section, "nonprofit corporation" means a nonprofit corporation incorporated pursuant to chapter 602 or any predecessor statutes thereto, having as one of its purposes the construction, rehabilitation, ownership or operation of housing.

      (b) A project shall not be eligible for financial assistance under this section unless the applicant demonstrates that job training will be provided at the site and job placement will be provided for able-bodied persons residing in a homeless shelter or receiving public assistance. The commissioner shall require that the applicant assist persons trained at the site in acquiring full-time employment in the jobs for which they were trained and that such persons be eligible for occupancy in the development for not less than five years after completion, provided such person meets the criteria for occupancy established by the applicant and demonstrates an ability to make rent payments. The applicant shall provide persons receiving training a credit towards rent due for the labor in rehabilitating or renovating the abandoned property. The amount of the credit shall be not more than the rent for one year. The rent for a unit in the development shall not exceed the minimum standard area rental rate.

      (c) The commissioner shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to implement the provisions of this section. Such regulations shall include a methodology for determining the minimum standard area rental rate.

      (P.A. 93-401, S. 1; P.A. 95-250, S. 1; P.A. 96-211, S. 1, 5, 6; 96-256, S. 179, 209.)

      History: P.A. 95-250 and P.A. 96-211 replaced Commissioner and Department of Housing with Commissioner and Department of Economic and Community Development; P.A. 96-256 amended Subsec. (a) to replace reference to "chapter 600" with "chapter 602 or any predecessor statutes thereto", effective January 1, 1997.