Affordable Housing Development Program

I. Purpose 

The Town of West Hartford has established the Affordable Housing Development Program to provide financial assistance to eligible housing development or rehabilitation projects that increase the supply of affordable housing units in the Town of West Hartford. This program is designed to assist property owners and/or developers with direct financial assistance to reduce the development costs of constructing affordable housing units. The Affordable Housing Development Program reflects the Town of West Hartford’s commitment to support an inclusive community by expanding housing opportunity and choice. It advances the housing goal of the Town’s 2020-2030 Plan of Conservation and Development by encouraging diversity of housing types and costs to provide access and availability of housing options to current and future residents. This program is possible with funds from the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) program, part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which provides assistance to state and local governments to support their response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The SLFRF program allows funds to be used for investments in affordable housing in order to increase long-term housing security in the community.

II. Eligibility

Projects eligible for funding through the Affordable Housing Development Program must meet the following minimum requirements: 

• Must be located in the Town of West Hartford
• Must be located within a zoning district that permits housing
• Must have local land use approvals to apply
• Must demonstrate an ownership or development interest in the project
• Must create at least three (3) new affordable housing units
• Must contain a minimum of 20% of all units as affordable housing units
• Must implement resident income restrictions
• Must have an affordability period of not less than twenty years
• Must meet one of the definitions of an affordable housing project as set forth in section 8-30g of the Connecticut General Statutes: 
  • Assisted housing units or housing receiving financial assistance under any governmental program for the construction or substantial rehabilitation of low and moderate income housing;
  • Rental housing occupied by persons receiving rental assistance under C.G.S. Chapter 138a (State Rental Assistance/RAP) or Chapter 319uu or Section 1437f of Title 42 of the U.S. Code (Section 8);
  • Ownership housing or rental housing currently financed by the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority and/or the U.S. Department of Agriculture;
  • Deed-restricted properties or properties with deeds containing covenants or restrictions that require such housing unit(s) be sold or rented at or below prices that will preserve the unit(s) as housing for which persons and families pay thirty percent or less of income, where such incomes are less than or equal to 80% of the area median income.
• Must comply with the program requirements of the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) program

In the event any administrative, statutory or regulatory requirements governing the eligible uses of SLFRF funds or the definition of affordable housing projects are changed, modified, or amended, applicants and awardees shall be subject to the same changes, modifications or amendments. 

III. Evaluation Criteria

Each application seeking an award under the Affordable Housing Development Program will be evaluated using the following criteria:

• Total number of new affordable housing units created
• Percentage of affordable housing units in the project
• Affordability levels (restrictions to percentage of area median income) of the affordable housing units
• Term of affordable deed restriction or covenant
• Percentage of affordable housing units restricted to seniors, families, the disabled or veterans
• Location based criteria including the following:
  • Census Tract
  • Zoning designation (must permit multifamily housing)
  • Proximity to public transportation (1/4 mile or less)
  • Proximity to public schools and other municipal facilities such as parks
  • Proximity to neighborhood retail or commercial amenities 
• Rehabilitation or reuse of existing buildings
• Compliance with zoning ordinances
• Demonstration that the project is financially feasible
• Demonstration of “shovel” readiness of project
• Experience of the Applicant with affordable housing development projects

IV. Review and Selection Process

Each completed Application will be reviewed by an Award Committee for full compliance with the program’s eligibility requirements and scored based on the program’s evaluation criteria. Projects will be scored based on a 100-point system according to the point categories set forth below. Applications must achieve a score of at least 75 points to be considered for an award. The Award Committee has the discretion to deny an award to any Applicant if, in its discretion, the proposed project does not sufficiently support any of the current affordable housing priorities of the Town of West Hartford.

The Town of West Hartford reserves the right to reject any and all applications; to waive any informalities or technical defects in any application; to revise or amend the eligibility or evaluation criteria; or discontinue this program at any time.

V. Directions for Application Submittal

Applications must be submitted to: Kristen Gorski, Economic Development Coordinator at Kristen.Gorski@WestHartfordCT.gov. All questions regarding the Affordable Housing Development Program or the application process should be directed to Kristen Gorski by email only. Questions will be received and responses will be provided shortly thereafter.

VI. Categories of Points

 

*Note: Total number of points must be equal to or greater than 75 for application to be considered for an award.