8/28/2015 - Waterbury awarded $1.1M to rehab affordable housing

WATERBURY TO SHARE IN $18 MILLION OF STATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUNDS

 WATERBURY, Conn. – Waterbury will receive a portion of nearly $18 million in state funds to revitalize and expand affordable housing in communities throughout the state, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and State Housing Commissioner Evonne M. Klein announced August 27.

The $17.96 million in loans and grants will be split among eight different communities

In Waterbury, the Connecticut Department of Housing will provide $1,192,000 to the St. Vincent de Paul Mission to rehabilitate the Liberty Hall Apartments, a 16-unit building at 575-605 South Main Street.

The funds will assist the Mission in rehabilitating 13 two-bedroom and three three-bedroom affordable family apartments in the wood-frame building. This project will provide employment opportunities for Waterbury people as well as energy savings for Liberty Hall residents.

 “When we secure more housing for our state’s residents, we are making a proactive effort to stimulate economic activity and create more jobs in Connecticut,” Malloy said.

Mayor O’Leary was excited at the news noting that “once again, Governor Malloy has come through for the people of Waterbury.”

“This money from Governor Malloy and Housing Commissioner Klein continues my Administration’s commitment to revitalizing the South End, one of the gateways to our Downtown,” O’Leary said.

Liberty Hall opened in 1990 as housing for low-income families. Work covered by the funds will include paving roadways, parking areas and sidewalks, energy-saving improvements, site lighting, vinyl siding, roof replacement, unit upgrades, heating system conversion to high-efficiency boilers and new hot-water heaters.

“This is good news for the entire neighborhood,” said Paul Iadarola, Executive Director of the St. Vincent de Paul Mission. “It will look better than ever.”

The improvements to Liberty Hall dovetail on two other South End housing complexes unveiled earlier this year.

Liberty Commons, a 33-unit affordable apartment complex, was opened at 619 South Main Street by the nonprofit Loyola Development Corp. A short time after that, Mayor O’Leary helped cut the ribbon at Francis Xavier Plaza on Baldwin Street as the former St. Francis Xavier School was transformed into a 20-unit permanent supportive housing complex for adults and families experiencing chronic long-term or repeated homelessness. It was a joint effort among local, state and federal agencies working with the Archdiocese of Hartford.