Connecticut is launching a new program that offers up to $10,000 in rental assistance and up to $1,500 in help paying electric utility bills for residents that have lost income due to the pandemic.

Called UniteCT, officials say tenants and landlords will be able to complete and track applications online from any computer or smart phone. Assistance will be available through a call center and at housing counseling agencies and other community partners across the state.

The program is funded by $235 million in federal money provided in the December COVID-19 relief package, although the state is also receiving a share of the additional $21.55 billion for rental and utility assistance and $10 billion for homeowner mortgage assistance included in the aid package President Joe Biden pushed through Congress earlier this month.

• The program’s money is broken down into the following categories:
• Supporting renters facing eviction before the pandemic ($5 million).
• Rehousing people exiting homelessness or incarceration ($5.8 million).
• Providing temporary short-term rental assistance ($26.7 million).
• Availability of mortgage relief to homeowners ($10 million).
• Supporting renters excluded from federal assistance because of their or their loved ones’ immigration status ($3 million).
• Providing homeowners additional time to file property taxes.
• Working with local financial institutions to provide mortgage forbearance.

At the same time, the state plans to continue its existing eviction moratorium, the governor’s office said.

Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration said in a statement and will provide an additional $1 million in federal funding to Connecticut Legal Services to represent “qualified households” in housing court and is supporting undocumented renters through an additional $4 million in state funds, which are more flexible than the federal dollars and which will help fund work being done by the Connecticut Institute for Refugees & Immigrants to help undocumented immigrants, many of whom are anxious about interacting with government directly, Lamont’s office said.

“UniteCT provides Connecticut tenants and landlords a much-needed fresh start and further assistance so our families can get back on their feet without worrying about the roof over their heads,” Lamont said in a statement. “The pandemic exacerbated a national housing affordability crisis, especially for families of color who are more likely to rent their homes and more likely to have missed payments through no fault of their own. I applaud Connecticut’s Congressional delegation and the Biden-Harris administration for providing the resources required to keep our families safely housed.”

Lamont said is also proposing a bill – Senate Bill 882 – which would provide prospective renters more information about a  unit’s home energy costs.

Homeowners struggling to pay their mortgage or facing foreclosure proceedings should consider the resources available through the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Last month, the Biden-Harris administration announced an extended opportunity to apply for up to 18 months of mortgage payment forbearance through programs Congress created in the CARES Act.