Rent Assistance in CT: Eviction Fund, RAP, and Section 8

Rent assistance in Connecticut comes in two shapes: long-term voucher programs that cap your monthly rent at roughly 30% of your income, and short-term emergency funds for tenants already facing eviction. The state-funded Rental Assistance Program (RAP) and the federal Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher are the ongoing subsidies.¹ The Eviction Prevention Fund, Rent Bank, and Security Deposit Guarantee cover shorter-term crises. Which door you knock on first depends on how urgent your situation is, because waitlists for the long-term programs are usually closed while the emergency programs can move within weeks.

If you are not sure where to start, call 2-1-1 (or 1-800-203-1234 from outside the state). The operators can route you to the right program and tell you what to bring.

Facing Eviction Right Now: The Eviction Prevention Fund

If you have already received a Notice to Quit, the Eviction Prevention Fund is the program built for you. It pays up to three months of back rent or $5,000, whichever comes first, and it replaced the pandemic-era UniteCT program.

To qualify, all of the following need to be true:

Your household income is at or below 80% of the area median income. For a family of four in most Connecticut areas, that is roughly $103,600 in 2026.²
You received a Notice to Quit within the last six months.
You had a sudden, temporary loss of income within the past 12 months — a job loss, the death of an income contributor, or a medical event.
You can show you will be able to keep paying rent once the arrears are covered.
You did not previously receive UniteCT funds and are not currently getting rental help from another program.

Start by calling the program’s call center at 1-844-864-8328. A representative screens you over the phone, and if you qualify you are scheduled with a tenant representative. There is also a mandatory one-on-one financial coaching session, where a housing counselor helps you set a budget and work out a repayment plan with your landlord.

Long-Term Help: RAP and Section 8 Vouchers

Both RAP and Section 8 work the same way for you as a tenant: you get a voucher, find a private rental that meets program standards, and pay about 30% of your adjusted monthly income toward rent while the voucher covers the rest.¹ The difference is the income ceiling and who runs the program.

Rental Assistance Program (RAP)

RAP is Connecticut’s state-funded version of Section 8, authorized under § 8-345 and administered by the Department of Housing.³ To qualify, your household income cannot exceed 50% of the area median income where you live. For a family of four in 2026, that threshold is around $64,750 in most Connecticut metro areas, though the exact figure varies by county.²

The RAP waitlist is frequently closed. When the Department of Housing plans to reopen it, notices go out through local newspapers and the DOH website. Even after you land on the list, the wait can stretch for years because demand far outstrips funding.

Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher

Section 8 in Connecticut is administered by more than 40 local public housing authorities and by the Department of Housing through its agent, J. D’Amelia & Associates.⁴ The DOH’s statewide Section 8 waitlist is currently closed, but local housing authorities open and close their own lists independently. Register at cthcvp.org to receive alerts whenever any Section 8 program in the state opens its waitlist. Windows are often brief, so signing up in advance matters even if you are not in crisis yet.

Rent Bank

The Rent Bank, established under § 8-347, gives grants to families facing imminent eviction or at risk of homelessness.⁵ You cannot apply to the Rent Bank directly. Instead, a caseworker in the state’s assessment and mediation program evaluates your situation, may mediate between you and your landlord, and then decides whether to release funds. To qualify, your household income cannot exceed 60% of the state median income. Call your local Community Action Agency or 2-1-1 to be considered for a referral.

Security Deposit Guarantee Program

If you can handle monthly rent but cannot come up with a security deposit, the Security Deposit Guarantee Program (§ 8-339) may help. Rather than giving cash to your landlord, the state issues a formal guarantee: if you later move out owing rent or leaving damage beyond normal wear and tear, the state pays up to the deposit amount.⁶

You qualify in one of two ways. Either you receive temporary family assistance, state supplement benefits, or state-administered general assistance and have a documented financial need, or you already hold a RAP or Section 8 certificate. On top of that, you have to be in one of these situations: leaving an emergency shelter, served with a summary process complaint, or unable to remain in your current housing for other qualifying reasons. If your income is above 150% of the federal poverty level, you may be asked to contribute 5% of one month’s rent toward the deposit.

What Documents You Need

Applications differ from program to program, but the paperwork you need overlaps heavily. Gather this before you start:

Government-issued photo ID for each adult in the household, plus Social Security cards or documentation for everyone in the household.
Income verification: recent pay stubs covering at least 30 days, your most recent tax return or W-2s, and benefit letters for any government assistance (Social Security, unemployment, disability).
A signed copy of your current lease showing the rental amount and address.
Your landlord’s name, address, and phone number. Some programs need the landlord to complete tax forms so payments can be processed.

The Eviction Prevention Fund moves faster because it is built for active emergencies. RAP and Section 8 almost always involve a waitlist. Assembling your documents now, before a list opens, puts you in the strongest position when a window does come.

Landlords Cannot Refuse Your Voucher

A voucher only helps if a landlord will accept it, and Connecticut law is direct on this. Under § 46a-64c, a landlord cannot refuse to rent to you, offer different lease terms, or misrepresent a unit’s availability because your income comes from housing assistance, Social Security, SSI, child support, public assistance, or any other lawful source.⁷ The Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO) enforces this rule.⁸ If a landlord says they “don’t accept Section 8” or screens you based on where your rent money comes from, you can file a complaint with CHRO.

Late Rent Grace Period and Fee Caps

Even before you turn to an assistance program, state law builds in some cushion. A landlord cannot start eviction proceedings or charge a late fee until nine days after rent is due. If you pay week-to-week, the grace period is four days.⁹

Late fees are capped at the lesser of $5 per day (with a $50 maximum) or 5% of the overdue rent. If you receive government or charitable rent assistance, the 5% applies only to your share of the rent, not the full amount. A landlord also cannot stack multiple late charges on a single missed payment, no matter how long the balance stays unpaid.⁹ Escalating daily penalties are not legal here.

Related Help: Energy Assistance and HUD-VASH

If heating costs are pushing your budget under, the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) covers households at or below 60% of the state median income. For the 2025–2026 season, the income limit for a family of four is $91,854, scaling with household size.¹⁰ Because the CEAP income ceiling is higher than RAP’s 50% cutoff, some households that do not qualify for a rent subsidy can still get heating help. Apply through your local Community Action Agency.

Veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness can apply for HUD-VASH, which combines a Section 8 voucher with VA case management. Call the VA Homeless Program at (877) 424-3838 to start. You need to be eligible for VA healthcare, currently homeless or chronically homeless, and within your local housing authority’s income limits, and you have to find housing within roughly an hour of a VA Medical Center. Participation in VA case management is required for as long as you hold the voucher.

1
Connecticut eRegulations. Rental Assistance Computation – Section 8-119kk-5
2
HUD User. 2026 Income Limits Dataset – Summary
3
Connecticut General Assembly. Connecticut Code Chapter 138a – Rental Assistance for Low-Income Families
4
Connecticut State Department of Housing. Housing Assistance – Section 8
5
Justia Law. Connecticut Code 8-347a – Assessment and Mediation Program
6
Justia Law. Connecticut Code 8-339 – Security Deposit Guarantee Program
7
Connecticut General Assembly. Connecticut Code Chapter 814c – Discriminatory Housing Practices Prohibited
8
Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. Housing/Credit
9
Justia Law. Connecticut Code 47a-15a – Grace Period and Late Charges
10
Connecticut Department of Social Services. Energy Assistance – Winter Heating – Who Is Eligible