Project Rebuild

A review of the original structure revealed it was too badly deteriorated to be rehabilitated. The City of Hartford condemned and demolished the building. The soil, contaminated by industrial pollutants, was cleaned up by the City using NSP funds. Bank of America, which controlled the site through foreclosure, then donated the property to NINA for development.

Northside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance, Inc. (NINA), in partnership with the City of Hartford's Department of Development Service's Housing and Property Management Division, utilized funds from HUD's Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) to remediate a blighted property at 33 Sargeant Street, Hartford, CT. Located in the historic Victorian neighborhood of Asylum Hill, the property is an NSP success story.

The Asylum Hill neighborhood has historically suffered from chronically low rates of homeownership. For the last two decades, only 9% of its residential units have been owner-occupied. It is also one of Hartford's poorest neighborhoods. According to the 2000 US Census, nearly 71% of the residents of the Sigourney Square District, where NINA focuses its efforts, earned less than $35,000 a year, and almost 30% of those residents paid half or more of their monthly income on rent.

NINA's goal is to provide affordable, owner-occupied homes in the Sigourney Square District of Asylum Hill. NINA acquires blighted properties and rehabilitates them into homes for low- to moderate-income families and individuals. The home at 33 Sargeant Street is a case in point of how NINA and the City of Hartford have utilized NSP funds to remove

Using NSP funding, NINA employed over a dozen local businesses, including eight of which were small, minority or women-owned. The businesses in turn provided jobs for close to 20 Hartford residents. NINA also worked with its partners ServCorps and YouthBuild Hartford to provide job training in construction trades for close to 50 Hartford youth.

Designed to fit the architectural and historic character of the neighborhood, 33 Sargeant Street has 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and is Energy Star certified. The home's design is adaptable for use by mobility-restricted individuals. It also has an ample backyard and off-street parking. It will be offered for sale for $185,000, ensuring an affordable home for a low- to moderate-income family.