The City of Hartford is looking to transfer five properties, including three on the 100 block on Capen Street, to the Hartford Land Bank, with the goal to have them privately redeveloped and reused.
The city owns the five blighted properties — 98-100 Capen Street, 102-104 Capen Street, 165 Capen Street, 297-299 Enfield Street and 55 Lincoln Street — all of which have houses built on them and were acquired either through a tax deed sale or foreclosure due to blight liens.
Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin has asked the City Council for a resolution to transfer the parcels to the Land Bank, a nonprofit established in 2020 that acquires city properties that are vacant, abandoned, tax-delinquent or distressed, and works with Hartford-based developers to rehabilitate the properties.
The City Council last week referred the transaction to the Planning and Zoning Commission for an 8-24 review, as required by state law. A public hearing is scheduled for July 18 at 7 p.m.
“We established the Hartford Land Bank so that we could have an external partner dedicated one hundred percent to the mission of rehabilitating blighted residential properties in the City of Hartford, and we’re proud to continue building that partnership and adding to the pipeline of properties under the Land Bank’s control,” Bronin said in a statement. “These five latest properties are perfect candidates for the Land Bank to rehabilitate and restore to caring ownership, putting them back on the tax rolls and turning them from deteriorating properties that weigh the neighborhood down to well-kept properties that lift the neighborhood up.”
Arunan Arulampalam, CEO of the Hartford Land Bank, said, in addition to the five parcels up for 8-24 review, the Land Bank is currently waiting on the transfer of 18 other properties — five with physical structures and 13 vacant lots — to add to its inventory.
“One thing we’re excited about is there are three properties on the 100 block of Capen Street, which are all relatively close together, two are right next to each other,” Arulampalam said, adding that there is research that redeveloping multiple properties on a block results in a substantial reduction in crime in that area. “We’re really excited about making a significant investment in Capen Street and turn over three properties at the same time, potentially.”
Arulampalam said the Land Bank is one way to increase home ownership in a city that, at just 24%, has the lowest percentage of homeowners.
“Dealing with blight is important, but fixing facades is just kicking the problem down the road,” Arulampalam said. “Changing the ownership structure in the city I think can make a real lasting, sustainable impact on housing in the city.”
Even in situations where the homes serve as rental properties, having a local landlord who lives in the city is preferable to out-of-state landlords, Arulampalam said.
“[H]aving a Hartford-based developer and owner of those properties is a net benefit to the residents,” he said. “As a resident of Hartford, I can tell you there is a marked difference between rental properties that are owned by somebody within the city of Hartford and owned by folks out of state.
“Having someone who lives in the city … who residents know how to get in touch with if something goes wrong makes a big difference than from landlords who are from New Jersey, California. To many of them, our city’s most marginalized citizens are just a number on their balance sheet. We think there is a huge difference to Hartford residents in owning even those properties.”
Identifying local developers and partners who can rehabilitate properties takes time, however. The first ribbon cutting of a redeveloped property purchased through the Hartford Land Bank took place in mid-May.
The goal is to continue to build momentum through transactions like the one currently in the works, Arulampalam said.
“The Hartford Land Bank is really committed to ensuring Hartford-based developers are able to take over those properties and develop them,” he said.
