(a) The Commissioner of Housing shall (1) administer and direct the operations of the Department of Housing; (2) advise and inform municipal officials, local housing authorities, the Connecticut Housing Authority, public development agencies and other agencies and groups about housing, redevelopment, urban renewal and community development and shall collect and disseminate information pertaining thereto, including information about federal, state and private assistance programs and services pertaining thereto; (3) inquire into the utilization of state government resources, coordinate federal and state activities for assistance in and solution of problems of housing, redevelopment, urban renewal and community development and shall inform and advise the Governor about and propose legislation concerning such problems; (4) conduct, encourage and maintain research and studies relating to housing, redevelopment, urban renewal and community development problems; (5) prepare and review model ordinances and charters relating to these areas; (6) maintain an inventory of data and information and act as a clearing house and referral agency for information on state and federal programs and services relative to housing and community development; (7) conduct, encourage and maintain research and studies and advise municipal officials concerning forms of intergovernmental cooperation and cooperation between public and private agencies designed to advance programs of housing, redevelopment, urban renewal and community development; (8) promote and assist the formation of local housing authorities and other agencies or organizations appropriate to the purposes of this chapter; and (9) inform the public regarding the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants as provided in chapters 830, 831 and 832 and respond to any inquiries from the public on such matters.

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(b) The commissioner may determine the qualifications of personnel or consultants to be engaged in connection with the provision of any state assistance or administration provided by the Department of Housing.

(c) The Commissioner of Housing may make available technical and financial assistance and advisory services to any municipality, municipal agency, local housing authority, human resource development agency, regional council of governments, housing sponsor, prospective housing sponsor or other appropriate agency, or the Connecticut Housing Authority, for any activity pertinent to the development, preservation, repair or rehabilitation of housing or for urban renewal, redevelopment or community development activities as defined in chapter 130, provided any financial assistance to a regional council of governments shall have the prior approval of the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or his or her designee. Financial, technical or advisory assistance shall be rendered upon such contractual arrangements as may be agreed upon by the commissioner and any such municipality, agency, authority, council or sponsor in accordance with their respective needs.

(d) The Commissioner of Housing is authorized to do all things necessary to apply for, qualify for and accept any federal funds made available or allotted under any federal act for any activities which may be pertinent to the purposes of this chapter and chapters 128, 129, 130, 135 and 136 and said commissioner shall administer any such funds allotted to the department in accordance with federal law. The commissioner may enter into contracts with the federal government concerning the use and repayment of such funds under any such federal act, the prosecution of the work under any such contract and the establishment of and disbursement from a separate account in which federal and state funds estimated to be required for plan preparation or other eligible activities under such federal act shall be kept. Said account shall not be a part of the General Fund of the state or any subdivision of the state. Unless otherwise required by federal law or regulation, any federal housing assistance funding made available at the state level shall be allocated in accordance with the state’s consolidated plan for housing and community development prepared pursuant to the provisions of section 8-37t. Such allocation shall, to the maximum extent possible, reflect the types and distribution of housing needs in all parts of the state and the resources required by the department, the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority or other appropriate agencies to meet those needs.

(e) The powers and duties enumerated in this section shall be in addition to and shall not limit any other powers or duties of the Commissioner of Housing contained in any other law.