CL&P Lends Support to a Growing Community;
Asylum Hill's Vacant Cathedral School Welcomes
Families in Need

Once home to Mark Twain and Harriet Beecher Stowe, the neighborhood of Asylum Hill now houses three major insurance companies, schools for the culinary and performing arts, churches, cultural attractions, and about 12,000 Hartford residents. This vibrant neighborhood's population has grown even larger, as thirty families have taken up residence in the renovated Cathedral School, as part of what is known as the Cathedral Green renovation project.

For the past two years, CL&P has supported the Cathedral Green project with a limited-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) purchase of $500,000. The goal of the LIHTC program, which is administered by the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA), is to offer affordable housing to limited-income residents by awarding tax credits to eligible developers. These developers use the tax credits as an incentive to investors, who in turn benefit from a dollar-for-dollar reduction in tax liability. The LIHTC program creates a winning situation for all parties involved, and the biggest winners of all are the ones who find themselves with an affordable roof over their heads.

The project is a joint effort between the Archdiocese of Hartford and the Cathedral of St. Joseph Parish in Asylum Hill. The now vacant Cathedral School has been converted into two- and three-bedroom apartments that provide affordable housing to 28 limited-income families. In accordance with the requirements of the CHFA, half of the Cathedral Green families are at risk of homelessness, or have experienced homelessness at some point. The other half are working families with an income that is at least 50 percent below the area's median household income. All of the Cathedral Green families are supported by Catholic Charities programs and services.

"We're very good at outreach, and evaluating the needs of whole families and family members," says Rose Alma Senatore, Chief Executive Officer of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Hartford, "and we have an array of services right here on Asylum Avenue." These services include employment coaching, financial budgeting, parenting skills, child care, educational assessments and much more. "Our goal is to strengthen these families, and help them maintain their housing and become self-sufficient."

"CL&P has been a leading purchaser of limited-income housing tax credits over the past five years," says Thomas Dorsey, Manager of Governmental Affairs for CL&P, "and it's something we take a lot of pride in. Part of CL&P's mission is to support the communities where we live and work. Supporting affordable housing is an important part of supporting the community."

"Tax credits become very important to the project," explains Ms. Senatore. "The $1 million we have received from CL&P over the past two years goes directly toward construction costs, leaving other resources available for services to support our resident families." Ms. Senatore expects the Cathedral Green facility to be ready for occupancy within the next 18 months. With roomy apartments, community gathering space, a playground and a bevy of support services, Cathedral Green promises to be a comforting place for families in need to call home.