nothin City Selling Land To Not-For-Profits | New Haven Independent

City Selling Land To Not-For-Profits

Qi Xu Photo

Clyburn, Neal-Sanjurjo, Trachten, and Yolen at LCI board meeting.

The city is preparing to sell vacant property to two not-for-profits to bring more affordable housing to the Hill and youth training to Newhallville.

The board of the Livable City Initiative (LCI), New Haven government’s neighborhoods anti-blight agency, voted unanimously to sell two vacant Hill lots to Habitat for Humanity of Greater New Haven, and a vacant rundown Newhallville building to the Believe In Me Empowerment Corporation (BIMEC).

The proposed sales now go to the Board of Alders for final approval.

The rundown house at 320 Shelton Ave. is to be sold to BIMEC for $3,000. The house sits opposite the Lincoln-Bassett Community School at the intersection of Shelton Avenue and Bassett Street. BIMEC, a not-for-profit dedicated to youth, has proposed to rehabilitate the house and turn it into a training center to improve skills for youth and young adults in the neighborhood.

At Wednesday’s LCI board meeting at City Hall, Chairman Tim Yolen raised a concern about the lack of a parking lot in the plan.

LCI executive director Serena Neal-Sanjurjo said she had met with BIMEC multiple times. Although the organization does not have specific layout of the area, it has concrete ideas about how it will use the space, she said. The issue is whether to turn about a corner in a neighborhood that we are putting a lot of effort into stabilizing. It is not based on zoning, but based on the neighborhood and youth that will go into the building.” Neal-Sanjurjo said.

Evan Trachten, a specialist at LCI, said although the agency has not worked with BIMEC before, BIMEC has a reputation of serving young people in community. Additionally, its proposal will help save demolition costs and restore the building for a legitimate purpose,” Trachten said.

Newhallville Alder Delphine Clyburn, who also serves on LCI board, said residents in the neighborhood need the change.

They want to know how fast it is going to be done. They want a turnaround in that corner,” Clyburn said.

The board voted to sell the land to BIMEC on the condition that it submits confirmation of funding of the youth center and a plan to obtain regulatory approval of a parking plan. This way, LCI can ensure that the buyer does not put the cart before the horse,” Trachten reassured the board.

The board also voted to sell 35 Arch St. — currently an open lot — to Habitat for Humanity for$1,000 and a piece of vacant land along Washington Avenue for $2,000, based on a rate determined by the Board of Alders for nonprofits. Habitat for Humanity plans to build a single-family home for a lower-income family at the Arch Street site and a two-family home on Washington Avenue. The board mandated that Habitat for Humanity sell the houses to families who plan to own the property for at least five years.

Trachten praised Habitat for Humanity’s track record. The not-for-profit has several construction projects underway in the city, including one on Wilson Street. Its volunteer work helps families obtain provides mortgages below market value.

It’s not overbuilt. It’s not overpriced,” Neal-Sanjurjo said of the proposed property. “[Habitat for Humanity] is one of the groups that we can really bank our money on.”

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