The Commission on Aging of the city of New Haven adopted a resolution on May 21 calling upon our legislative delegation, the leadership of the Connecticut General Assembly, Commissioner Edith Prague of the State Department on Aging and Governor Dannel Malloy to act in every way possible to prevent the proposed sunset of the state Rental Rebate Program.
This program provides a one-time payment each year for low-income renters who are aged 65 or aged 18-64 who are permanently and totally disabled. Governor Malloy proposed that the program be phased out, and the Appropriations Committee approved that in the budget now before the full legislature. Those who turned aged 65 during 2012 would not be eligible. Those found to be totally and permanently disabled in 2012 would not qualify. A parallel program that helps low-income seniors facing high property taxes would be untouched. The Commission supports both as important ways to help seniors to make the ends meet during hard times.
 In a recent month, there were more than 150 homeless older adults in New Haven. The majority of the nearly 5,000 people who receive a Rental Rebate from New Haven annually are at the very low end of the income spectrum. Our state can afford to assist the poorest, oldest and most frail among us. We call upon Governor Malloy and our legislative delegation to reverse course and restore this to the proposed state budget.
Howard Saroff
Chairperson
Commission on Aging New Haven