Connecticut's unhoused population has grown for the fifth consecutive year, pushing the state's emergency response system to its absolute limits.

Among the nearly 4,000 unhoused residents is 48-year-old Jason Alterio of Bridgeport, a plumbing apprentice who has spent the last year living entirely out of his pickup truck after struggling to find work.

In response to the growing crisis, state officials like Senator Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox and Representative Antonio Felipe are championing new legislation that utilizes state grants to incentivize affordable housing development.

While recent legislative efforts aim to provide long-term remedies to end homelessness, officials warn that soaring rents alongside high gas and food prices will continue to create a challenging environment in the short term.

Alterio has started a crowdfunding campaign to help him rent an apartment.