Mae Flexer

Windham Delegation Welcomes State Investment in Windham Housing Renovations

WINDHAM – Windham’s state legislative delegation of state Senator Mae Flexer and Reps. Brian Smith and Susan Johnson announced today that the State Bond Commission is expected to approve a $2.66 million loan for the Windham Housing Authority to renovate 90 two- and three-bedroom units at Hevrin Terrace, a neighborhood off of Holbrook Avenue in Willimantic. 

The state loan will help pay about 42% of the projected $6.37 million renovation cost.  The State Bond Commission is scheduled to meet this Friday, April 16, to approve this and many other public investment projects in Connecticut.

“This funding is very timely for a number of reasons,” Sen. Flexer said. “The pandemic has kept people in and around their homes for longer periods of time, so any improvements are immediately appreciated. Affordable housing continues to be a challenge for much of Connecticut. Here in Willimantic, our community understands the need for affordable housing and know that neighborhoods like Hevrin Terrace are important for our community and should be well maintained. Affordable housing plays a role, and will play an even greater role, in the coming months, in our forthcoming state and national economic rebound. We would be a much better state if all communities supported affordable housing. This is an investment in Windham and its residents that is welcomed and very valuable.”

“The pandemic has underscored the need for expanded housing options in our state, but access to affordable and subsidized housing has been an issue long before COVID-19 hit. Every resident in our state deserves a safe, clean place to call home,” said Rep. Smith. “Investing in and renovating our existing housing stock will pay dividends in Connecticut’s rebound from the virus-induced recession. Thank you to Governor Lamont and the State Bond Commission for taking up this matter and investing in Connecticut’s future.”

“This is great news. Investing in our existing subsidized housing not only benefits Windham residents – it benefits our entire state and will help Connecticut move forward from the pandemic,” said Rep. Johnson. “Expanding subsidized and affordable housing options throughout our state remains a top priority, but equally important is renovating our current housing stock. I am pleased to see Governor Lamont and the State Bond Commission’s support for this vital initiative. I also want to thank the Willimantic Housing Authority for its work maintaining these properties around our community and collaborating with various state and local officials to get this project on the Bond Commission’s agenda.”

Governor Ned Lamont also welcomed the state bonding for Windham and for a variety of other affordable housing investments across Connecticut.

“Access to housing that is affordable and stable is a key component toward building a stable economy that supports the growth of jobs and makes neighborhoods vibrant places to live and work,” Gov. Lamont said. “An investment in housing is an investment toward improving the economic health of our entire state.”

The Housing Authority of Willimantic is a “quasi-governmental agency”. While being neither a town, state, or federal agency, its commissioners are appointed by the Windham Town Council and it’s regulated by both the federal and state governments. The Housing Authority manages 576 units within Windham.  The Town of Windham is home to a larger percentage of affordable housing units than any other community in Connecticut except for the City of Hartford.

Hevrin Terrace is a state-financed family development made up of two- and three-bedroom units for residents with incomes at 25-50 percent of the area median income and averaging between $657 and $719 a month. Tenants are responsible for their own natural gas heat and hot water, electricity, and water usage, and must furnish their own electric stove and refrigerator. Tenants are also responsible for mowing their own lawn and shoveling their walks, although trash removal is provided by the Town of Windham.