Commission for the Aging reviews Section 8 eligibility and statewide waitlist status

At the May 4, 2026 meeting, members of the Commission for the Aging reviewed how the Housing Choice Voucher Program (commonly called Section 8) operates in Connecticut and who administers it.

Municipal Agent and Social Services Director Daniel Simonelli summarized eligibility criteria described during the discussion: income limits tied to area median income (with many vouchers targeted to households at or below 30% of area median income), verification of citizenship or eligible immigration status, and local public housing authority (PHA) definitions of family. He said the program is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and administered locally by more than 40 PHAs and the Connecticut Department of Housing. Simonelli noted that J. D'Amelia & Associates manages the statewide program and subcontracts with six PHAs and one Community Action Agency.

Commissioners were told that, at the time of the meeting, Connecticut had no open Section 8 waitlists statewide. The nearest PHAs for Easton residents named at the meeting were Bridgeport, Trumbull and Norwalk. Commission members discussed these administration details as context for local clients who might seek rental assistance, noting that county and municipality-specific income limits are updated annually by HUD.

The discussion also included brief mentions of local programs such as Grow-A-Row, which is scheduled to begin after July 4 and will be updated at the commission's next meeting. The commission adjourned at 5:38 p.m.; Daniel Simonelli said he will provide further updates at the June 8 special meeting.