I think giving people money to fix up existing houses would be an excellent stimulus package, though. Getting something like windows done keeps 2-3 people fully busy for a week, and creates jobs and business for all the people that supply the contractors. Doing a 100 houses with a 10K budget would last a while, be a direct boost to local employment, and would get some houses to be nicer. $1mil, spent well.

Sujal

I like the idea of money for repairs on existing properties. There are many buildings/homes in Hartford that desperately need fixes like window replacements and roofs.

I honestly do see this as a poor/short sighted decision regarding the park space and as a bad development decision. I do not see how this will make any money given sales prices for multi families in that area of the City and what the market will bear for prices. And if the developer can’t sell the houses, then I guess they just rent all of the units. The City will still be happy because they’ll get their tax revenue.

Regarding “giving people money,” I am generally opposed to that sort of thing because I lean towards the fiscal conservative side. But given the fact that the state allocated $4 million somewhere in their budget, I thought about would I rather give it to this developer to build something that really isn’t needed, or give it to people that want to buy a home and are interested in living in an existing neighborhood and house in Hartford. Time and again, I would pick giving it to people that want to buy and revitalize existing neighborhoods.

Normally I would not be suggesting the State give the City money to fix houses- we need to be handling that on our own. But if they’re willing to give $4 million, I see smarter ways that it could be used to accomplish the same goals that are touted- “home ownership.”

One final issue I have with this is that I believe if this project was proposed for many of the other parks in the City, it wouldn’t have even been given the time of day. Can you imagine the outrage if a developer asked to buy 5 acres of park land at Elizabeth Park, say on the Asylum Avenue area of the park?

Personally, I think stuff like this is a great idea. I’d quibble with the numbers (50K for 80 homes? even 25K would go a long way to replacing windows and plumbing or redoing floors + kitchen).

My only concern about this is what’s the justification for spending 4 million state dollars on either the new development OR the improvement credits? I’m asking for your opinion, not some objectively true/optimal answer.

Sujal

what you propose is just too logical and straight forward.

better use would have been to make that park into a parking lot.