Subject to federal approval, as a condition of receiving a special need benefit to cover the cost of a security deposit, a recipient of assistance under the temporary family assistance program or the state-administered general assistance program or the program of state supplementation to the Supplemental Security Income Program shall sign an agreement with the Commissioner of Social Services stating that the security deposit and accrued interest, less the value of any damages suffered by the landlord due to the recipient's failure to comply with his obligations as a tenant pursuant to section 47a-21, shall be paid by the landlord to the Department of Social Services when the recipient vacates the housing for which the deposit is paid. The recipient shall notify the commissioner of the date such housing is vacated. If the landlord claims the right to withhold all or part of the security deposit or interest, the landlord shall comply with the applicable provisions of section 47a-21, except any notice required shall be sent to the tenant and to the Commissioner of Social Services. If the landlord fails to return the deposit to the Department of Social Services or to account to the department for any amount withheld within the time limits set forth in section 47a-21, the department may refer the matter to the Department of Administrative Services for payment to the state of the deposit, interest and such other damages as are available to tenants under said section. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (d) of section 47a-21, for purposes of taking such action on behalf of the state, the Department of Administrative Services is not required to give notice of a forwarding address. A recipient of a special need benefit to cover the cost of a security deposit who agrees the deposit shall be returned to the department pursuant to this section shall be eligible for a subsequent such special need benefit at any time the recipient meets the eligibility criteria for the special need benefit for emergency housing set forth in subsection (a) of section 17b-808.

(P.A. 92-159; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 53, 165; P.A. 00-68, S. 3.)

History: P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social services for commissioner and department of income maintenance, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 17-83q transferred to Sec. 17b-114 in 1995. June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2 made technical and conforming changes, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 00-68 substituted “Department of Administrative Services” for “Bureau of Collection Services” and “the landlord” for “he”.