Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 138b - Housing Programs for Homeless Persons
Section 8-359a. (Formerly Sec. 17b-800). - Programs for homeless individuals. Standards for shelters.

(a) The Commissioner of Housing may, upon application of any public or private organization or agency, make grants, within available appropriations, to develop and maintain programs for homeless individuals including programs for emergency shelter services, transitional housing services, on-site social services for available permanent housing and for the prevention of homelessness.

(b) Each shelter receiving a grant pursuant to this section (1) shall provide decent, safe and sanitary shelter for residents of the shelter, including, but not limited to, through the provision, on and after July 1, 2023, of free menstrual products, as defined in section 18-69e, in each restroom of such shelter that is accessible to its residents and in a manner that does not stigmatize any resident seeking such products, pursuant to guidelines established by the Commissioner of Public Health under section 19a-131l; (2) shall not suspend or expel a resident without good cause; (3) shall, in the case of a resident who is listed on the registry of sexual offenders maintained pursuant to chapter 969, provide verification of such person's residence at the shelter to a law enforcement officer upon the request of such officer; and (4) shall provide a grievance procedure by which residents can obtain review of grievances, including grievances concerning suspension or expulsion from the shelter. No shelter serving homeless families may admit a person who is listed on the registry of sexual offenders maintained pursuant to chapter 969. The Commissioner of Housing shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, establishing (A) minimum standards for shelter grievance procedures and rules concerning the suspension and expulsion of shelter residents, and (B) standards for the review and approval of the operating policies of shelters receiving a grant under this section. Shelter operating policies shall establish a procedure for the release of information concerning a resident who is listed on the registry of sexual offenders maintained pursuant to chapter 969 to a law enforcement officer in accordance with this subsection. To carry out the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection, each shelter may (i) accept donations of menstrual products and grants from any source for the purpose of purchasing such products, and (ii) partner with a nonprofit or community-based organization.
(P.A. 83-532, S. 1, 3; P.A. 91-14; 91-20; P.A. 92-52, S. 2; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-7, S. 118; P.A. 13-234, S. 47; P.A. 22-118, S. 86.)
History: Sec. 17-31v transferred to Sec. 17-590 in 1991; P.A. 91-14 provided grants may be made for transitional housing services and on-site social services for available permanent housing; P.A. 91-20 added Subsec. (b) establishing standards for shelters receiving grants under this section; P.A. 92-52 amended Subsec. (a) to include programs for the prevention of homelessness; P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social services for commissioner and department of human resources, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 17-590 transferred to Sec. 17b-800 in 1995; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-7 amended Subsec. (b) to add new Subdiv. (3) re verification of a registered sexual offender's residence at the shelter to a law enforcement officer, redesignate existing Subdiv. (3) as Subdiv. (4), prohibit a shelter serving homeless families admitting a registered sexual offender and require shelter operating policies to establish a procedure for the release of information re a resident who is a registered sexual offender to a law enforcement officer, effective October 5, 2009; P.A. 13-234 substituted references to Commissioner of Housing for references to Commissioner of Social Services, effective July 1, 2013; Sec. 17b-800 transferred to Sec. 8-359a in 2015; P.A. 22-118 amended Subsec. (b)(1) by adding provision re free menstrual products in each restroom accessible to residents and added provisions in Subsec. (b)(4)(B) permitting the acceptance of donations of such products and partnering with a nonprofit or community-based organization, effective July 1, 2022.
Annotation to former section 17-31v:
Cited. 214 C. 256.
Annotation to former section 17b-800:
Cited. 233 C. 557.

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