New Program Aims To Transform Vacant Hartford Lots Into Housing

City of Hartford

HARTFORD, CT — City and state leaders on Tuesday announced that 20 vacant Hartford properties are targeted for Homeownership, leveraging $4 million joint investment toward that end.

Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam was joined by CT Housing Commissioner Seila Mosquera-Bruno and community housing leaders to announce what officials said was a "major step" in the city's commitment to neighborhood revitalization.

Lots impacted span more than 15 city streets and most Hartford neighborhoods.

It is part of the Vacant Lots Task Force and CT Home Funds initiative, which was first launched earlier this year.

Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration and the Department of Housing formally launched CT Home Funds in April.

This provides three programs designed to promote homeownership and improve housing conditions statewide, wrote the city in a release.

Leaders said $2 million is specifically allocated for smaller Hartford developers to rehabilitate single or multi-family homes as a first-in-the-nation pilot program.

As part of this partnership, the City of Hartford provided an additional $2 million in matching funds.

This $4 million pilot program is modeled after the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act, a federal piece of legislation with broad bipartisan support, officials said.

"For too long, vacant lots have represented lost potential in our neighborhoods," said Arulampalam. "Today, we are changing that narrative. By identifying these specific properties and committing to turning them into owner-occupied homes, we are not just building houses—we are building wealth, stability, and a stronger future for Hartford families."

“It is a travesty to have vacant properties causing blight in neighborhoods when these lots could be used to support much-needed housing for families and young adults, especially for those who dream of owning their first home,” said Lamont. “I applaud Mayor Arulampalam for identifying these lots that can be brought back to life, and my administration will continue partnering with his office to build more owner-occupied housing opportunities in Hartford.”

“Many small developers tell us they cannot rehabilitate or retrofit a property and then sell at an affordable price without losing money. We want our locally based builders to have the opportunity to compete - especially when we need as much high-quality affordable housing as possible,” said Mosquera-Bruno. “CT Home Funds was designed to increase homeownership, help residents remain in their communities, and assist our developers who want to do the right thing.”

Hartford is encouraging local developers interested in building homes on any of the 20 properties to apply online using the city’s intake form.

Homes must serve households earning up to 120 percent of the area median income.

CT Home Funds will be available to qualified developers with a maximum subsidy of $150,000 per unit.