Mutual Housing Association Of South Central Connecticut Inc

Programs: Real estate developmentthe real estate development division provides a significant source of neighborworks new horizons revenue through the generation of developer's fees upon the completion and occupancy of each development. Real estate development works with municipalities on site selection, obtains funding commitments, selects general contractors and oversees construction. New havenfair haven ii- clay & poplar streets- 7 affordable housing units previously slated to be a homeownership project, adjacent to our ferry mutual development, this 7 unit rehab project is currently scheduled to be completed in the march of 2015 as a rental development. Hill development - rosette st, howard ave, putnam st, hurlburt st, davenport ave. - 65 units, affordable rental housing. The hill development project consists of units nwnh previously purchased after a local company went out of business. Units require a range of improvements from minor-moderate capital improvements to gut rehabilitation. Construction commenced in may 2013. 56 units were completed by december 31, 2014 and the remaining 9 to be completed by 12/31/15. West river - 179 scranton st. A 2 unit micro home is being constructed for sale to a qualified buyer. The project was completed in october 2014 and is to be sold to a buyer under contract by march 2015. West river - 193 winthrop ave. A one family home is being constructed for sale to a qualified buyer. The project is scheduled to be completed by october 2015 and is to be sold to a buyer by 12/1/15. 135 james street/19 richard street - james street was purchased from the local water company and 19 richard street was donated by wells fargo bank. Both buildings will offer 3 units each upon completion. The project is scheduled to undergo lead-based paint remediation in the fall of 2015 with rehabilitation commencing immediately following. The scheduled completion date is june 2016. Southington winter grove- darling street- 40 units of affordable housing for senior citizens. Winter grove is 40 units of new construction. Construction commenced in august 2013 and is scheduled to be completed by march 2015. Bridgeport - elias howe - clinton avenue - 37 units of affordable housing for senior citizens. A re-use of an existing building, all the units will be subsidized with rental assistance from the local housing authority. Project is complete and in the lease up phase, expected to be filled by 12/1/2015. St. Paul's commons - scattered site - 56 rental units. This is a scattered site low income housing tax credit project, including 16 elderly units and 12 supportive units. Elderly units are scheduled to be completed by 9/30/15 and the balance of the units are to be completed by 12/31/15. Pawcatuck spruce meadows - 100 south broad street - 43 rental units. This is a new construction development, which will have 2 three-story buildings and one management building. Due to break ground in june 2015 and be completed by 9/30/16. Spruce ridge-86-88 south broad street - 43 rental units. This is a new construction development, which will have 2 three-story buildings and one community building. Due to break ground by 12/31/15 and be completed by may 2017. Waterbury gaffney place revitalization - gaffney place/central ave - 5 homeownership and 5 rental units. This is a total revitalization including the acquisition and rehab of 5 historic homes and the redesign of the streetscape. Construction commenced in september 2013 and is due to be completed by march 2015. The first home is under contract and scheduled to close during quarter 2 of 2015.

property managementthis division is responsible for the day to day operations of the portfolio which encompasses physical plant as well as applicant and resident compliance. Nwnh's portfolio, which is worth in excess of $40 million dollars, consists of 22 developments (owned or managed) with approximately 477 units in ansonia, branford, guilford, hamden, milford, new haven, norwich and waterbury. Collectively, maintenance employees are responsible for routine, emergency and capital maintenance, cleaning, grounds and common areas, general upkeep, landscaping and supervise and select the vendor-contracted duties such as snow removal. Occupancy staff is responsible for resident selection, rent collection, marketing units to maintain an acceptable occupancy level, initial lease-up of new developments, rent collection, responding to resident requests - such as transfers, reasonable accommodation requests, fair housing issues and the annual income recertification and lease renewal. New way horizon mutual housing - 730 george street, new haven - 58 units. Commonly known as george street, units range from 1 bedroom to 4 bedrooms in size. The building underwent a gut rehab in 1996 and in 2013 the limited partnership interest was purchased by nwnh. A capital needs assessment will be performed to ascertain future development needs. Hubbard woods mutual housing - apple tree lane, guilford - 13 units. The development consists of semi-detached and detached single-family homes that were newly constructed in 1996. These homes continue be affordable in a community where housing prices have traditionally been among the highest in the nation. Nwnh purchased the limited partnership interest in 2013. The development will continue to be affordable under town and state mandates and a capital grant has been received from the doh to update units as per a capital needs assessment. Guilford interfaith housing - scattered sites throughout guilford - 21 units. Because of our success with the hubbard woods development nwnh was invited by the guilford interfaith housing corporation to develop 13 additional housing units, and to acquire and renovate eight other scattered site homes. Gilbert avenue/derby avenue mutual housing - 145 - 153 gilbert avenue, new haven and 80-82 derby avenue - 14 units. Nwnh rehabbed three buildings in 2001, creating homes for ten families. The properties are contiguous to the new way horizon mutual housing, and share a playground with new way horizon. In 2004, nwnh rehabbed four more units on derby avenue in the west river neighborhood. Branford interfaith housing - 146 n. Ivy street, branford - 29 units. In 2001 nwnh entered into an agreement with branford interfaith to manage a townhouse complex. The 21 units were built in 1991 and are being taken "offline" as they become vacant for complete rehab, including hvac & appliance upgrades. Since the summer of 2010, four units were fully rehabbed. A new play-scape has been installed, replacing obsolete playground equipment. The development has completed the energy efficiency audit via the healthy homes initiative and has received funding doh to update the remaining units. Valley mutual housing - pershing drive, ansonia - 9 units. Nwnh rehabilitated three houses and provided affordable units with off street parking by tearing down two other houses in 2004. The development has gone through energy efficiency audits via the healthy homes initiative. This coming year we will be assessing the capital needs of this development. Richard street mutual housing - richard street, new haven - 20 units. Occupied in the later half of 2005 these 2, 3 & 4 bedroom units are in rehabbed buildings on one of fair haven's quieter streets. In 2014, the limited partnership interest was purchased by nwnh. Funding is being requested from the city of new haven to update units. Richard street ii - 7-9 & 15-17 richard street, new haven - 6 units. Occupied in november 2010, richard street ii is a continuation of our richard street development which is designed not only to provide more quality affordable housing, but to eliminate blight in a block wide area on the approach to our presently occupied richard street development. Ferry mutual housing - ferry street, new haven - 24 units and a family learning center. In december 2006, 24 resident families began occupancy and nwnh began hosting community meetings, events, trainings, conferences and support groups in the learning center. Because it's a mix of new construction and major rehab, some of the older buildings generate more maintenance requests. We have eight project based section 8 units as well as six supportive units with new haven home recovery as the service provider. Willow mutual housing -203-209, willow st. , 103, 105 & 126 chestnut street and 240-242, 244-246, 248, 252-254 willow street. Waterbury - 33 units. Located in the historic overlook neighborhood this substantial rehab brought 33 units from sub-standard to quality housing stock. Interiors feature skylights, granite countertops and bay and floor to ceiling windows that provide light, sunny views of the downtown area in the valley below. There are 6 units of supportive housing with new opportunities, inc. As the service provider. Kirkham mutual housing - 63 kirkham street. Branford - 17 units. This senior housing development sits amid a restored victorian era garden maintained by the branford garden club. The development provides seniors the opportunity to ""age in place"". Each unit is equipped with features that can be retrofitted should the resident become disabled or need long term care. Sinks and vanities can be lowered to accommodate wheelchairs and doorways are wide enough to handle hospital beds. Canterbury gardens -537 545 sherman parkway, new haven - 34 units. Occupied in 2009 the development includes 9 units of supportive housing with leeway as the service provider. It is a townhouse style with no common areas except the laundry room and community room. Due to the development's lack of age we will revisit the capital needs in 2015. Beth-el mutual housing- 85 new haven avenue, milford - 5 units. Full occupancy was achieved october 2010. The residents are clients from the beth-el center, inc. , where each family receives a variety of supportive services. The site needed large scale environmental remediation after soil contamination was found during construction. Since this is a new development capital needs will be reviewed in 2016. Highwood square - 943-953 dixwell avenue, hamden - 27 units. Our second development for affordable artisan housing, highwood square began its occupancy in august 2011. It sits on a 2. 4 acre site that is a mix of new construction and rehabilitation of existing historic building into an arts complex. This development not only helps the artisan community obtaining housing but helps the town of hamden focus on its revitalizing efforts as this development also consists of 7 commercial spaces. Norwich scattered sites - 500 boswell avenue, & 418 norwich avenue, norwich - 8 units. Occupancy began in november 2010. The residents of boswell are part of a supportive housing program with reliance house, inc. The 418 norwich avenue site was placed in service in 2014. Fair haven mutual housing lp - new haven - 44 scattered site units & 3 commercial spaces. This development consists of 6 buildings that were rehabilitated as well as 10 buildings of new construction, all of which are leased. In addition, there are three commercial areas which are at street level on grand avenue. Nwnh has partnered with the housing authority of the city of new haven providing project based vouchers for 20 units, of which 9 are designated for supportive. We have entered into a mou with new haven home recovery to provide supportive services for these units. 54 central avenue, waterbury - 6 units. This site was acquired to complement our homeownership development efforts in the immediate area and was seen as an opportunity to acquire and transform a previously blighted, unproductive property into an improved, sustained source of affordable rental units. Rehab and leasing began in 2014 and continues. Fair haven rental or "htr", 33, 36, 37 clay street, 296 poplar st. - 7 units previously developed as a homeownership project, these units underwent financial modification to allow for use as affordable rental units when the market was not conducive to homeownership sales. Units were rehabbed and leased in 2014 and 2015. Hill associates lp, scattered sites in new haven - 65 units. This project was acquired in 2011 from a defunct development agency. The various properties were in serious disrepair due to many years of mismanagement. Funding was sought and used to rehab units and lease to families and individuals of very-low and low income. A partnership was formed with the new haven housing authority for rental subsidies to 15 of the 65 units.

community organizingthe community building team at neighborworks new horizons continues to focus on uplifting and empowering residents through educational opportunities and services. The organization's mission of providing housing coupled with a variety of empowerment and support services is essential to neighborworks new horizons' ("nwnh") success and for the strength of its resident communities. This past year, nwnh began a series of leadership development workshops for residents. This program was developed and implemented by nwnh staff trained with a master's degree in leadership and adult education. The purpose of the program is to help develop resident leaders that would participate in community building events, take the lead on activities that would address a concern or issue in their communities and to provide a pipeline of leaders who alongside nwnh would be active in strengthening neighborhoods. A total of 5 resident leaders completed a variety of workshops and seminars over an 8-month period. In addition, all of these have already led, organized and completed a resident activity or event aimed on improving their neighborhood. These include, leading resident council meetings, organizing neighborhood clean-ups, leading community gardening and beautification efforts, and adding youth initiatives to youth programming. One graduate of our leadership program is attending a week-long training institute held by neighborworks america in 2015. Homebuyer education courses continued this year providing 99 individuals with basic tools and knowledge for a successful first-time home-buying experience. The 8 classes provided in-depth knowledge of the purchasing process from prospecting, the sales contract, the impact of fico credit scores and credit repair, the mortgage note, avoiding predatory lending, the closing and sustaining the home after purchase both financially and physically. Pre- and post-purchase counseling is also available from our hud certified counselors. A total of 36 participants took advantage of the one-on-one financial counseling this past year, with 71% decreasing their expenses and 92% increasing their credit scores. By the end of the year 16 participants were deemed eligible to purchase a home and 11 participants purchased a home in 2014. Nwnh continues to offer resident services to families and individuals residing in nwnh-managed units. The focus is to connect families and individuals to empowerment, health, and financial opportunities that will improve their quality of life. This has also allowed the agency to provide an after-school and strengthen our summer program for our resident youth that is both educational and recreational. The resident services coordinators also serve to assist our residents and property management department improve communication and intervene when necessary to provide referrals for additional services. In 2014, nwnh added an after-school program site, now totaling three in new haven and serving between 20-25 youth with homework help, financial literacy, and leadership activities at their respective housing communities. Nwnh also provide three instead of the usual two summer youth program sites for residents at three of its largest housing communities. This five-week summer program included educational and recreational activities, served between 30 youth in 2014, with 7 partner agencies and 2 volunteers. Also in 2014, 15 youth participated in a financial literacy program engaging them in topics such as checking and savings accounts, credit and bank functions. Participant ranged from ages 6-12 and presentations were provided by representatives of peoples united bank. These financial education graduates also received $50 towards a savings account in their names to put their new skills into practice. The community building staff held 45 resident outreach and engagement activities and events in 2014, yielding 351 participants. Some of these events included block watch and resident council meetings, leadership classes, potlucks, healthy cooking classes ("cooking matters"), youth literacy pancake breakfasts, budget coaching, financial literacy workshops, recycling projects, and landscaping and gardening activities, to name a few. In addition, nwnh staff helped to support continued volunteerism in the community through its rent rebate program which awards a rent credit incentive to residents who volunteer a minimum of 20 hours per year. In 2014, 36 residents contributed over 1,100 hours of service. The average rebate voucher issued was $244. Towards the end of 2014, nwnh began a concerted effort through its eviction prevention program to help residents avoid eviction and pay back balances due on their rent. We accomplish this by engaging residents in manageable payment plans, providing periodic on-site financial workshops, and offering one-on-one budget coaching provided by nwnh staff who are certified by the financial social work program. By the end of 2014 there were 15 residents enrolled in the program.