Committee backs $3 million state subsidy application for Star–Winchester homeownership project

The New Haven Board of Alders Community Development Committee voted to move forward a resolution authorizing the city to apply for and accept a developer subsidy of up to $3,000,000 from the Connecticut Department of Housing for the Star–Winchester Homeownership Project.

The request matters because the grant would be one element of an estimated $7.6 million development to create 15 homeownership units on a block of lots along Star Street and Winchester Avenue in New Haven. Committee members said the project aims to restore homeownership in the neighborhood and includes a mix of duplexes and single-family units, with income-targeted pricing.

Kathy Schroeder, deputy director of administrative services for economic development, told the committee the proposal bundles several vacant lots—136 Star Street; 139 Star Street; 632 Winchester Avenue; 205½ Star Street; 209 Star Street; 213 Star Street; 215 Star Street; 222 Star Street; and 261, 265 and 274 Star Street—into a second phase of the Thompson–Winchester development. Schroeder said the project would produce 15 ownership units configured as duplex (two ownership units sharing a party wall) and single-family homes. The total project cost is roughly $7.6 million, Schroeder said, with a requested DOH subsidy of up to $3 million; the remaining roughly $4.6 million would come from city development resources, including about $1.2 million in proceeds from prior Thompson–Winchester property sales.

Schroeder described a mixed-income allocation: roughly six units targeted at 80% area median income (AMI), about four targeted at 65% AMI and five at 100% AMI. She said purchase prices will be set according to qualifying household income rather than market value and described a design-build approach under a general contractor the city would select. Unit sizes were described as approximately 1,500 square feet for two-family units and similar single‑family layouts for corner lots.

Committee members asked procedural questions about unit size and applicant selection. Alder Frank Brudenti asked about bedrooms; Schroeder said units would generally be three-bedroom. Alder Brittany Mayberry asked whether the project would use a lottery; Schroeder said the city would follow the same selection process used on the Thompson–Winchester phase—if multiple eligible applicants apply for the same unit, a lottery is used. Committee members asked for an AMI chart; Schroeder said figures change annually and offered to provide the current income charts to the committee office for publication.

Several alder members voiced support. Alder Kimberly Edwards described the project as a way to reduce absentee ownership and “bring our community back together.” Alder Wingate and Alder Frank Douglas also praised the development and thanked Schroeder for the presentation.

A motion to advance the resolution was moved and seconded; the chair called the question and the committee recorded the motion as approved (recorded in the minutes as “the ayes have it”). The transcript does not record specific vote counts.

Next steps include pursuing the Department of Housing application and continuing design-build procurement; Schroeder said the city has already begun general-contractor outreach. Committee members requested distribution to the alder office of the AMI table and other qualification details prior to the full board vote.

Votes at a glance: the committee voted to advance LM-2024-0671 (resolution authorizing application for up to $3,000,000 from the Connecticut Department of Housing for the Star–Winchester Homeownership Project); the motion was moved, seconded and recorded as approved. Specific vote tallies were not specified in the transcript.