New Housing Project Named Howey House
By Robin Vinci | Editor at April 15, 2024 | 8:00 am | Print
City officials Tuesday announced that an 11-unit permanent supportive housing building, meant for the City’s homeless population, at the intersection of North Street and Erwin Place, will be built at a cost of $2.9 million.
“We are here today to mark a major housing project for some of our most vulnerable residents. At any given time there are over 40 of our residents who are chronically homeless. That number is far too many,” said Mayor Erin Stewart. “We can now move forward with building a place of hope for the homeless on an underused parcel of land.”
Stewart said this grew out an enormous need to help find shelter in 2007 for the homeless during the winter months.
“By bringing all of our social service agencies around the table we have been able to work together rather than compete with our services to find best practices for a common cause,” said Stewart. “We have made great progress over the last few years putting over 30 individuals into housing alone. There has been a lot of assistance from the State Department of Housing.”
Stewart said the focus has been on residency, retention, employment, mental health and wellness.
“Our work is far from being done,” said Stewart. “This $2.9 million project is investment in the well-being of our City.”
Project founders include the American Savings Foundation, Community Foundation of Greater New Britain, Connecticut Department of Housing (DOH), the Hospital of Central Connecticut, The Liberty Bank Foundation, Greg and Barbara Howey and many other individuals.
“It’s amazing how hard many of you have worked to bring this to a reality,” said Yvette Ghannam, president of the North Oak Neighborhood Revitalization Zone. “We work really hard to make sure we bring a future for our children. This is a good example of how communities can work together and turn a sadness into a joy.”
“It’s just wonderful. It’s a great day. We have been working on this for over a year,” said Ellen Perkins Simpson, Executive Director of the Friendship Service Center. “We are very excited and a little bit nervous going to a different part of the City we have not been to before.”
Simpson said Greg Howey was instrumental from the beginning. Because of his work with Building Hope Together New Britain’s Permanent Work Plan to End Homelessness, and his generous donations that the new building will be called “Howey House”.
Resident Allison Glasper spoke on how the Friendship Center changed his life. He was living on the streets and met case manager Ibis Rivera at the Friendship Center who helped him get back on track.
He presented her with a plaque honoring her for her help.
“I feel great sober and clean,” said Glasper. “I am so glad the Friendship Center is here to help people in need.”
The Friendship Service Center will prioritize renting to chronically homeless individuals and maintain a preference for veterans for two units. Tenants will be able to receive supporting housing through the Friendship Center. The site of the Howey House is within walking distance of the CTFastrak downtown New Britain station and the CT Transit bus.
The City of New Britain and the American Savings Foundation have committed construction financing totaling over $500,000. The State DOH committed $2.2 million to assist in the construction.
The building, which hold some retail space, is expected to be completed in 2017.
