Category: Community Development

Downpayment Assistance Program for Low and moderate income homebuyers in Hartford

According to information from the City of Hartford’s website, the HouseHartford Homebuyer Assistance Program was created by the City of Hartford, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Fannie Mae.

The program offers low and moderate-income home buyers down payment assistance for the purchase of one- to four-family homes located in the City of Hartford.

HouseHartford promotes livable and sustainable neighborhoods by making the dream of homeownership attainable for many families who may not otherwise qualify for a mortgage.

The City of Hartford partners with local and national banks, real estate attorneys, and home buyer counseling agencies to administer this program, and since its inception, the program has assisted more than 1,300 families in attaining the dream of homeownership.

A  copy of the HouseHartford brochure may be downloaded by clicking here. Additional information is located on the City’s website.

Step 1. Review the Guidelines

  • What type of properties are eligible?  1-4 family homes and condominium units located in the City of Hartford.
  • What is the amount of home buyer assistance that one can receive?  Potential home buyers can receive up to 20% of the purchase price in down payment assistance up to a maximum assistance of $40,000. Restrictions may apply.
  • Who can apply?  Low and moderate-income potential homeowners can apply for assistance under this program. Program restrictions are based on the total annual household income of the applicant. The total annual household income of the home buyer cannot exceed the income limits as shown on the HouseHartford brochure, based on household size. These maximum income limits are established by HUD and are based on 80% of the Hartford Area Median Family Income.

Step 2. Contact a Participating Lender

Contact one of the participating lenders below and inform them of your interest in applying for the HouseHartford program. The lender will submit the HouseHartford application to the City on your behalf.

  1. American Eagle Financial C.U. – 860.568.2020
  2. Embrace Home Loans – 860.919.7755
  3. Fairway Independent Mortgage – 860.803.0810
  4. First World Mortgage – 860.785.4066
  5. Guild Mortgage Company, LLC – 860.462.8553
  6. Liberty Bank – 860.982.6601

Step 3. Complete the Program Interest Form

Interested in learning more about the House Hartford program? Complete and submit the form after clicking the link below and a member of the City of Hartford Housing staff will contact you.

Click Here!

 

Source: City of Hartford

 

Stalled Development, Mounting Fees, and Court Delays: Uncertainty for Planned Development around Dunkin’ Park

Stalled Development, Mounting Fees, and Court Delays: Uncertainty for Planned Development around Dunkin’ Park

The future of development around Dunkin’ Park remains unclear as the latest legal endeavors by the City of Hartford to regain control of the land are pushed closer to the end of the year. A hearing scheduled to commence this week was delayed potentially until late November. Consequently, plans for the mixed-use development of parcels close to the City’s minor league ballpark remain stalled as the City’s legal fees continue to mount.

Both the City and the former developers – Centerplan and Do No Hartford – have been in a legal battle that has ensued since Mayor Luke Bronin fired the developers, thus creating a need to determine who has the legal right to develop the land around the ballpark. This long-running dispute could last for years, but earlier this summer both sides publicly hinted at a potential settlement, but they are still firmly dug in for the long haul.

According to the Hartford Courant, an attorney for Centerplan and Do No Hartford suggested a potential opportunity to resolve the dispute regarding claims that the City wrongfully terminated the developers. In late July, Louis R. Pepe, a partner in the law firm McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney, & Carpenter in Hartford, told the Courant, “… litigation is seldom the best way to resolve disputes like this. Centerplan and DoNo are open to any reasonable proposal to end the current standoff or to engage in mediation for that purpose.”

Pepe continued, “Unfortunately, the city has made it clear it will not sit down with Centerplan and DoNo, and so there can be little doubt who must bear the responsibility for the freeze on the parcels in question.”

In a statement to the Courant, City Corporation Counsel – Howard Rifkin – disputed assertions that the City was not open to talks to resolve the litigation. He agreed that litigation is not the best approach to resolve these kinds of issues, and the City is confident it will prevail – yet again -in a jury trial, as it did in the first trial. Rifkin continued, ” … we take seriously our fundamental obligation to protect taxpayers. The City has never closed the door on [the] discussion to resolve this litigation, and we are certainly open to reasonable resolutions – but I’d put a lot of emphasis on the word ‘reasonable’.”

City records indicate that Legal fees have already topped $6 million.  This long-standing legal battle has been pushed back until at least mid-November. A delay was granted due to the Judge’s trial schedule. Centerplan and DoNo Hartford blame the city because its flawed designs resulted in cost overruns and delays in the ballpark construction. The previous developers also moved to regain control of the development around Dunkin’ Park.

In retrospect, after terminating Centerplan and DoNo from the contract, the City hired another developer to complete the  6,100-seat Dunkin’ Park. It opened for the 2017 season of the Yard Goats (a year later than previously scheduled). In 2019, a superior court jury sided with the City’s decision to terminate Centerplan and DoNo Hartford.

After its 2019 victory in the wrongful termination lawsuit, the City of Hartford contracted RMS Companies to take over the redevelopment. The 270 apartments included in the first phase are now completed, but the litigation regarding who has the right to develop has prevented RMS from breaking ground on the second phase of four planned phases.

Last year, the Superior Court ordered a new trial due to the ambiguity of who has legal control over the stadium and its design. Centerplan and DoNo Hartford have argued that the City of Hartford’s flawed design created cost overruns and delays in the construction. The barrier to further development intensified when a Superior Court judge ruled that a decision regarding the right to develop should be made after the new trial and a decision on the wrongful termination issue. The new trial is scheduled for April 2024.

In the meantime, RMS Salvatore,  in his commitment to move forward, entered into a contract to purchase the neighboring campus of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and has announced plans to build a phased-in-mixed-use development on the RPI campus. Hence, approval is now sought for $16.6 million in financing (set aside for the next phase of North Crossing) to be potentially used for the first phase of the planned development on the RPI campus.

 

Source: Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, (Monday, October 2, 2023) kgosselin@courant.com

Hartford’s convention center faces uncertain recovery from pandemic

Resource Credit CT Convention Center Archives

An article authored by Kenneth R. Gosselin and published in the Hartford Courant on September 25, 2022, highlights challenges that COVID-19 pandemic concerns have triggered and uncertainties regarding the convention center’s complete recovery from the huge hit it took in the pandemic.  According to the article, convention center experts report that, in terms of its duration,  the depth of the fallout from the pandemic exceeds that of the 9/11 attacks.

COVID-19 triggered a dramatic shift in the workplace to either a hybrid or a completely remote work environment, but experts expect that the return to in-person networking, training, and shareholders’ meetings is on the horizon.  However, the convention center’s fiscal problems are real.  CRDA reports that in the convention center’s  2019 fiscal year there were 178 events. The 2020 fiscal year indicated a shortfall of 105 events due to a drop in bookings at the convention center during the last three months as the pandemic took hold.  There were no events in fiscal 2021, except the COVID-19 testing sites.

The article continues that the City of Hartford is increasing its efforts to  become an economic driver by attracting more business  conventions to Hartford. The City will invest $1.3 million in federal pandemic relief funds to create a convention and visitors bureau that is solely aimed at Hartford.  Further details are available at the Hartford Courant.

First phase of $50M North Crossing Development

First phase of $50M North Crossing Development

The North Crossing transformative development located downtown Hartford – South of Dunkin Donuts Park and around the corner from the XL Center-  is nearing completion. The Pennant, is the first of North Crossing’s residences. The developers RMS advocate that once completed, this development will feature a mix of residential, parking and retail buildings that combine historic Hartford charm with a modern, contemporary design.

The final $50 million project will consist of 270 apartments, a 330 parking space garage, and 11,000 square feet of retail space . It is lauded as a live-work-play development with unparalleled amenities that are custom designed for the Urban lifestyle. Pre-leasing of phase-1 began on May 15, 2022.

Additional details are available in the Hartford Courant publication dated Friday, July 15, 2022, authored by Kenneth R. Gosselin, and on the RMS website.

Resource Credit: RMS and Kenneth R. Gosselin/Hartford Courant

 

Hartford food truck project delayed

On February 28, 2022, the Hartford Business Journal published an article authored by Zachary Vasile, reporting that investors Rebeca and Quan Quach had filed plans with the City of Hartford to establish a food truck park dubbed “West Side Park” on the vacant lot at 510 Farmington Avenue.  The proposed operation entails four food trucks and a double-decker bus that also serves food. Further information is located on the HBJ website.

However, a recent article authored by Kenneth R. Gosselin in the Hartford Courant, on June 27, 2022,  regarding the status of plans for the “West Side Park” indicates that the opening of Hartford’s first food truck park at the corner of Farmington and Girard avenues in the City’s West End  that was previously scheduled for May, 2022, is now delayed until early July, 2022.

The article continues that the investors attributed the delay to problems resulting from a combination of their own inexperience with the intricacies of dealing with multiple city departments on a project that had no existing zoning regulations, and the slow responses from city departments to their questions. Further information may be gleaned from the Hartford Courant’s website.

Housing and restaurants included in proposal for development in Hartford

Housing and restaurants included in proposal for development in Hartford

An article authored by Kenneth R. Gosselin published in the Hartford Courant on June 17,2022,  reports that the Capital Regional Development Authority (CRDA) will begin evaluating  four proposals for the Performing Arts initiative on a two-acre parcel of barren expanse as a major redevelopment near the Bushnell Center.

It is reported that the proposals call for 250 to 350 units of housing, split between 80 percent market-rate and 20 percent  affordable 25,000 square feet of commercial space, and various plans for parking garages. The vision is to create a stronger, walkable connection between Bushnell Park, the nearby Hartford Hospital district and Park Street, and extending to Colt Park.  Further information can be viewed  on Hartford Courant online at https://www.courant.com/community/hartford/hc-biz-hartford-bushnell-south-proposals-20220616-i2t65d7mtbed3ozui232gjurqm-story.html

Image Resource Credit: Mark Mirko / Hartford Courant.

Historic Groundbreaking For Hartford’s New Minor League Ballpark

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(February 17, 2015) Today Hartford Mayor E. Pedro Segarra, Hartford City Council President Shawn T. Wooden, City Council members and Rock Cats Owner Josh Solomon joined hundreds of community members for the historic groundbreaking of what will be Hartford’s first ever minor league Ballp  Located at the intersection of Trumbull and Main Streets, the new Ballpark will anchor the redevelopment of the Downtown North neighborhood and will be home to minor league baseball beginning in the spring of 2016. This is the first time in over 60 years the City of Hartford will have a professional baseball team. With 72 home games, it is estimated that over 400,000 guests will visit the park each season.“This is a truly historic day for the City of Hartford. What was once a sea of parking lots for over 40 years will soon be transformed into a thriving new neighborhood that will bring more housing, more jobs, more customers for our businesses and more economic opportunity to our great city,” stated Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra.

Strategic Plan Initiatives for FY 2012-2013

Welcome to the Development Services Department!

The Development Services Department, under the leadership of the Mayor Pedro E. Segarra and under the direction of Thomas E. Deller, AICP, in collaboration with the residents of Connecticut’s Capital City, oversees the development of the City. The Development Services Department is charged with helping to craft an action plan that is consistent with the Mayor’s vision for future infrastructureimprovements and job development opportunities and working to make that vision a reality. The Department is comprised of six divisions: Administration, Economic Development, Licenses & Inspections, Housing & Property Management, Planning, and Marketing Events & Cultural Affairs. Each of the divisions work together to ensure theimprovementof quality of life in our neighborhoods and community by focusing on high quality public spaces, ensuring building and occupantsafety, increasing homeownership, supporting the business environment, maximizing job retention, providing residents and visitors with enjoyable opportunities through public arts and events.

Vision:

The Development Services Department vision is: To create a vibrant, livable, and sustainable City

Mission:

The Development Services Department mission is: To improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods and community by focusing on high quality public spaces, ensuring building and occupantsafety, increasing homeownership, supporting the business environment, maximizing job retention, providing residents and visitors with enjoyable opportunities through public arts and events.

Values:

The Development Services Department values are: Excellence, Integrity, Collaboration, Accountability, Efficiency, Commitment, and Respect.

Strategic Plan Initiatives for FY 2012-2013

• Implement “One City One Plan” through the integration of planning grants, livable sustainable neighborhoods initiatives and the i-Quilt

• Implement & develop the comprehensive housing strategy to maximize homeownership & affordable housing opportunities

• Implement online permitting system

• Foster Small Business Development and Entrepreneurship

• Provide residents and visitors with enjoyable opportunities, improve quality of life and promote City of  Hartford as a destination city through arts and culture.

The Development Services Department is working with many different projects which are in diverse stages of completion and ongoing at this time. We regularly update a Current Projects List, which provides information about development within the City limits. For specific questions or more details, please contact the project managers listed in the Project Updates Report. Click below to download a copy of the Current Projects Updates.

Current Project Updates

Working together, we will improve our neighborhoods, grow jobs and expand Hartford’s economy. Here are several of immediate goals that we hope to address:

• Making our permitting process more predictable and reducing the time it takes to get a permit.

• Working with the Department of Public Works to accelerate the neighborhood streetscape projects funded through our capitalimprovementprogram and aggressively implementing the Intermodal Triangle funded by the recently awarded TIGER IV grant.

• Collaboratingwith the Livable and Sustainable Neighborhoods Initiative team to focus resources in a manner that is consistent with individual neighborhood development plans and make our many diverse communities great places to live and raise a family.

We look forward to working with you to make Hartford the Capital City that not only every resident in Hartford and in the region is proud of, but the entire state sees as progressive leader in economic development and increased opportunity.

Sincerely,

Thomas E. Deller, AICP
Director of Department of Development Services
250 Constitution Plaza, 4th Floor Hartford, CT 06103

Urban Land Institute Kicks-Off Hartford Site Visit

Urban Land Institute Kicks-Off Hartford Site Visit

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(January 30, 2013) – Over the next several days, Mayor Pedro E. Segarra will be joined by representatives of the Urban Land Institute, planners and urban design specialists from across the country and officials from the cities of Tacoma (WA), Louisville (KY) and Austin (TX) to inspect and tour the Albany Avenue corridor in order to develop suggested development strategies at four node points, including at the critical intersections of Woodland and Homestead. The tour culminates on Friday with a full presentation of the findings at the Artists Collective, located at 1200 Albany Avenue, from 9am to 11am. Last year, Mayor Segarra was selected by ULI as a Daniel Rose Fellow, which involves a year-long program centered on innovative urban development.

[View the group’s full presentation (PDF, 7.1MB)]

“We used Albany Avenue as the case study because it has a significant volume of traffic every day, serves as a connector to Hartford from surrounding areas and has all the essential components for a vibrant commercial corridor.  It needs to be a destination, not a place one simply drives through.  Strategic planning from professionals of this caliber that costs the Capital City absolutely no money will leverage that traffic, drive retail and business development and create a thriving and vibrant corridor,” said Mayor Segarra.

The Rose Fellows team from the City of Hartford includes:

  • Thomas Deller, Director of Development Services
  • Brandon McGee, State Representative for the 5th District
  • Steven Bonafonte, Partner at Pullman & Comley and Chairman of the Hartford Redevelopment Agency

For more information on the City of Hartford’s study, please visit the study’s page on the Urban Land Institute website. Biographies of all site review participants attached.

The Daniel Rose Fellowship is the flagship program of the ULI Daniel Rose Center, established in 2008 by the ULI Foundation Governor Daniel Rose.  The Center aims to empower leaders in the public sector to envision, build and sustain successful 21st century communities by providing access to information, best practices, peer networks and other resources to foster creative, efficient and sustainable land use practices.

About the Urban Land Institute:

The Urban Land Institute (www.uli.org) is a nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the Institute has nearly 30,000 members worldwide representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines. Hartford is within the ULI Boston/ New England District Council.

Ribbon Cutting Upper Albany Branch of the Hartford Public Library.


The New Upper Albany Branch Library.
The New Upper Albany Branch Library.
The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Mayor Segarra, Mathew Poland and community members.
The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Mayor Pedro Segarra, Matt Poland and community members.
Mayor Segarra gives comments at the Upper Albany Branch of the Hartford Public Library Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.
Mayor Pedro Segarra gives comments at the Upper Albany Branch of the Hartford Public Library Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.
Chief Librarian Mathew Poland comments on the New Upper Albany Branch Library.
Chief Librarian Matt Poland comments on the New Upper Albany Branch Library.George Scott, Emeritus Upper Albany Main Street.
Chief Librarian Hartford Public Library Mathew Poland.
Chief Librarian Hartford Public Library Matt Poland.
Executive Director Upper Albany Main Street (Marilyn Risi), Mayor of Hartford (Pedro Segarra), and Notrheast NRZ member(Helen Nixon) at the Upper Albany Branch Library Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.
Executive Director Upper Albany Main Street Marilyn Risi, Hartford Mayor, Pedro Segarra, and Northeast NRZ, Helen Nixon at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.