NHS to Help People Apply for COVID Rental and Utility Relief

Neighborhood Housing Services of New Britain (NHSNB) has announced that it has opened a resource center to help people facing economic difficulties during the pandemic apply for help with rent and utilities.

NHSNB says that it, “has launched a Free Resource Center to help people apply for rental assistance or utility through UniteCT.”

The State of Connecticut says that it created the $235 million UniteCT Program through the state Department of Housing to, “provide rental and utility payment assistance to qualified Connecticut households financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

NHSNB says that it, “is the only agency in New Britain hired to provide UniteCT services and one of 13 agencies in the state. Connecticut Department of Housing oversees the program.”

For a person to be eligible for the UniteCT Program, NHSNB says, they must:

• Have qualified for unemployment or experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced financial difficulty due to COVID-19.
• Demonstrate the risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability.
• Have a family income to or below 80 % of HUD AMI (Area Medium Income).

NHSNB invites people to, “communicate with us by email or by phone. Contact Jenn Brennan at [email protected] or Kassandrra Guzman at [email protected]. Or you can call 860-224-2433 and ask for Jenn at extension 121 or Kassie at extension 109.”

“If you don’t have access to a computer or have questions,” NHSNB says, “visit the new NHSNB Resource Center at 223 Broad Street in New Britain. Will have access to the state’s online application portal. In addition, NHSNB housing advisors will be available to answer your questions.”

More information about the UniteCT Program is available on the program’s website, NHSNB says, “or call 1-844-UNITECT (864-8328).”

The UniteCT Program website also informs people to,

CALL 211 INFO LINE and press #3 and #1 if you are homeless or in a housing emergency. The state and federal government have taken a number of steps to help protect homeowners and renters impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.