DIVA lease obligations draw committee scrutiny as agency leaves Waterbury state offices

Legislators asked detailed questions about new leased office space DIVA will occupy after moving staff out of the Waterbury State Office Complex. Agency staff said leases were signed in December and that the agency’s midyear budget shows an annualized lease cost of about $440,000.

Members probed whether the state paid home‑office stipends while staff worked remotely and whether returning staff would increase utility and supply costs. Staff said laptops and some reimbursements had been provided during remote work but that the lease and associated operating costs are now falling to the agency’s budget. When asked how the leased spaces were selected and who the property manager is, staff said that the administration handled the procurement and that lease documents and the property‑manager name can be provided to the committee.

Crucial clarification: a committee staff member explained that the agency/administration can sign a real estate contract without legislative approval but needs legislative spending authority to pay for rent. In the briefing staff said the administration signed the lease and that the cost will fall into DIVA’s budget; if the legislature declines to provide spending authority, DIVA would still be contractually obligated to pay and would either find alternate resources or return with another request.

What happens next: members asked the administration to provide the lease documents, the property‑manager name, and detail about how the office locations were selected. The committee also asked for clarification of baseline costs that existed while the legislature and the agency were remote versus current lease and utilities costs. The briefing did not include a formal vote.