Five affordable housing nonprofit organizations in Connecticut will receive a portion of $3.2 million from the state to kick-start new projects.
Gov. Ned Lamont announced the funding will go to The Mutual Housing Associations of Greater Hartford, Southwestern and South Central Connecticut, along with Sheldon Oak Central in Hartford. Each organization received $200,000 dollar grants for operational costs and $500,000 dollar loans for pre-development.
Eastern Connecticut Housing Opportunities, a smaller organization, will receive a $300,000 dollar loan and $100,000 for operating expenses.
"The governor and Department of Housing show understanding of the importance affordable housing has for communities," CEO of Connecticut Housing Partners Renee Dobos said.
“With increasing housing prices, increased food prices, and increased utility prices, the pressures placed on families is enormous,” Dobos said. “The demand for housing that is affordable for families is a growing need.
About two years ago, the state allocated $5 million for affordable housing investments.
Of the funds, $1.8 million went toward helping municipalities repair their affordable housing plans and grants to facilitate the housing plan writing.
The remaining $3.2 million will go toward the housing nonprofits, according to Department of Housing Community Development Specialist Michael Santoro.
“This was a block of general obligation bonds that the state of Connecticut had allocated for this specific purpose. We had gone to the legislature three years ago, got Bond Commission approval during COVID for a $5 million block of money to do a variety of activities associated with the promotion of affordable housing,” Santoro said.
The operational grants will go toward capacity building and operating expenses, including administrative costs, salaries, payroll taxes and fringe benefits.
The loans will fund pre-development planning and costs for potential projects and activities involving affordable housing.
“These pre-development activities include completing feasibility, environmental review, architectural drawings, consolidated applications, and other pre-closing steps of the housing development process,” according to Lamont.
