Alders OK Route 34 Tax Break

•17-year abatement finalized after 31 minutes of debate.
• Walker-Myers leads charge for new housing.

They did that after about 31 minutes of passionate support by the alder who represents that section of the city and nearly 20 colleagues over the objections of two alders who are becoming known for breaking away from the lock-step voting tradition of the current board.

That happened at the Board of Alders’ bimonthly meeting at City Hall Monday.

The plan calls for building 56 affordable rental apartments in 11 buildings and an office meeting center on a site at 16 Miller St., which is bound by Ella T. Grasso Boulevard to the west, North Frontage Road to the north, Tyler Street to the east, and Legion Avenue to the south. (Click here to read about a City Plan Commission site plan review of the project and here to read about the Board of Alders Tax Abatement Committee’s recommendation in favor of the project.) The project will fill in long-vacant land cleared during Urban Renewal for a highway that never got built.

For the next 17 years, the 16 Miller St. development’s tax assessment for the project would be $700 per unit, or a total about $40,000 a year. Supporters argued the tax break is worth it because the project has the potential to jumpstart development, put a little money in the city’s coffers, and a small dent in the city’s affordable housing crisis. The developer argues it needs the break to afford to build affordable apartments.

The project is being developed by the West River Housing LLC. The limited liability corporation is a result of a partnership put together with the help of the city’s anti-blight agency, the Livable City Initiative. It consists of two groups: The New Haven-based West River Self Help Investment Plan (SHIP) and New-York based National Housing Partnership Foundation, a not-for-profit developer of low and moderate income housing in 15 states and Washington D.C. The NHP Foundation has a portfolio of approximately 7,000 units of multifamily rental housing, according to documents provided to the city. Click here to view the full proposal submitted by the developer, which details the project’s finances.

Opponents argued that the site would be better suited for single and two-family homes or a market-rate development that would all generate more revenue for the city at a time when it desperately needs the cash.

Alders Steve Winter and Abby Roth cast the lone votes against the tax deal when it passed Monday night. Both said they cast the votes because of the city’s financial woes and a need for more information.

Board Prez Makes The Case

West River Alder Tyisha Walker-Myers stepped down from her perch in the board president’s chair to speak from the floor in support of the project. She said it has been a long time coming for her neighborhood, noting that officials been working on developing the parcel more than 10 years before she became an alder.

“When I first got elected I made a commitment, because I believed in the project, that I would help move it forward,” she said. ​“Since then I have been in the process with my community to get something that the community could buy into, and we actually took a lot of time with this project.”

She said those who were involved with advancing the project made sure that it benefited the West River neighborhood as well as the surrounding neighborhoods.

“We changed some things, and I think we really did it in a comprehensive way. And this will be one of the first times where a neighborhood is actually invested in the development in their neighborhood,” Walker-Myers said. ​“Residents from my neighborhood took their own money and pooled it together because they’re really interested in development and what’s really important for them is that we will be attempting to knit back the community. 

“We’re tired of being separated — the Hill on one side, West River on the other side,” she added. ​“This parcel has been empty for over 20 years and … we received no taxes at all. Now, with this development, we will receive some taxes … People who pooled their money together now will be able to actually do development in the city, because they were in it every step of the way from start to finish.”

The Dissenters

Prospect Hill/Newhallville Alder Winter said there was a lot to like about the project, But he was swayed against it because of the city’s financial crisis and an inability to review more than three years of financials.

“How can the board approve a 17-year tax abatement when we only have three years of financials to review?” he asked. ​“How can we be confident that the proposed tax abatement is appropriate? Additional years of financial data were requested but not received.

“I cannot support this item without more visibility into the project’s finances,” he added.

Downtown Alder Roth said she supports the goals of the project to provide much needed affordable housing and to help knit the neighborhood back together.

But given the city’s financial straits, ​“we have to look carefully at each of these decisions because any money lost takes away from other projects and also raises the costs on all our current homeowners and renters,” she said. ​“And I just think giving 17 years for $40,000 with slowly incrementing amounts is just too little money for too long.”

She said she supported the recent 20-year tax abatement granted to new owners of the Ninth Square apartments because there were already people living there. Displacing those tenants and finding new housing for them would have been costly, she said. That deal, she noted, was offset to some degree by revenue generated from a parking lot that the city acquired in those negotiations.

“Those factors don’t exist here,” she said. ​“Moreover, we only have three years of financials. I can’t feel confident giving a 17-year tax abatement with three years of financials. As much as I wish I could support this given the needs, I just can’t in this case.”

The Supporters

Winters and Roth were definitely in the minority as the majority of alders took the time Monday to show their support for the project and President Walker-Myers.

Dwight Alder Frank Douglass: ​“I’m going to support this item because I think it’s about time. We developed some commercial space further up near my ward. The alder for Ward 23 and her constituents worked very hard on this project. It’s about time we’ve done something with that project.”

Beaver Hills Alder Brian Wingate: ​“I want to give my colleagues and Madam President credit for their due diligence with this project. They pulled it together and articulated what it’s about. It’s about affordable housing. We have a task force looking at these things. Growing up in New Haven, that land has been sitting there almost 20 years now. If this gets New Haven residents in affordable housing that’s what we should do.”

Hill Alder Dolores Colon: ​“As late as I believe late July or early August there was a public forum, one of the final public forums for anyone interested in getting more information about this project could go to the University of New Haven. It was on a Saturday from 9 to 12. I attended that, and it was yet another opportunity beyond the ones that were given by the management teams. This forum was the perfect opportunity to get information. Unlike the PPD that the city plan passed without being vetted by the community, this was totally vetted by area residents. Colleagues had many opportunities to raise questions and put up objections.”

Morris Cove Alder Sal DeCola: ​“That was once a thriving community and under redevelopment, they razored the whole area. Families were displaced. Now it’s coming back slowly … It was a no man’s land. The city has continued to pay works to keep clean this area, using manpower hours to maintain the grass. Parks and public works could be used in other parts of New Haven. I understand the tax deferral but this is being maintained by the city at a cost to taxpayers.”

Wooster Square Alder Aaron Greenberg: ​“The board has made affordable housing a priority. As the facilitator of the Affordable Housing Task Force I have sat through hours of testimony. We’ve learned in the course of that .… 41 percent of people in our city are rent burdened. That means they pay more than a third of their income toward housing. The city has a deficit of 25,000 affordable units to meet the need that exists. Over the last few years through projects like this, the city has created thousands of units. Those thousands have made a big dent, but we know it’s just not enough. We need to encourage more projects like this if affordable housing is to be a real priority. We need to put our money where our mouth is by supporting projects that speak to a community need.”

Amity/Beverly Hills Alder Richard Furlow: ​“We have heard the cries of our residents that say they need affordable housing. We have heard the cries of our residents that say they need good paying jobs so that they can afford to pay for somewhere to live. Is this a perfect deal? No, because we’re not a perfect world. And I have confidence in our LCI administrator that these deals will get better and better as we’re moving forward. We have to act now in providing affordable housing. If you look at this area and other areas that are depressed that the city is paying for this is a win-win for the city and it is a feather in the cap of the Board of Alders to answer the cry for affordable housing.”

Hill Alder David Reyes: ​“We have a lot of families that are struggling and are asking for good paying jobs and affordable housing, so they can invite their families over for Thanksgiving. We have the Hill to Downtown [project] connecting the city back to downtown. Now we have this project on the table to connect the Hill to the West River and there’s a sense of pride within the community because the community put so much work and detail into it. They went around the city. They did everything possible. They went above and beyond to satisfy the need.”

Upper Westville Alder Darryl Brackeen: ​“I believe this is a moment to be united. This is a clear example of an economic development tool that invests in the residents and the community at large. In the past, there have been large tax abatement and giveaways to corporations and individuals who have no long-term investment, this is not that project so I stand with the people on this item.”

Hill Alder Ron Hurt: ​“I want to say to my colleagues when you look across the street from Ward 3 and see a barren land, it’s not a beautiful sight. To have affordable housing — 56 affordable homes there — means a lot to the community. It shows growth, it shows direction, it shows the love for the community. I tip my hat to the alder, madam president, and those in Ward 23. Good job!”

Fair Haven Heights Alder Rosa Ferraro-Santana: ​“In the banking industry they don’t ask for more than two years of financials when you’re looking for a home or starting a business. There’s no reason to go back five years. It’s not required.”

Edgewood Alder Evette Hamilton: ​“We know that there is a need. Ward 24 knows that there’s a need. We had 84 residents that were displaced in Ward 24, and still some of them have not found permanent affordable housing. I was there at the University of New Haven when this whole project was laid out and explained where anybody who wanted further clarification could have attended. The need is there. We as the board, we need to support our own. This is our community. This is our people doing this for our residents. In the divine guidance, I talked about unity and togetherness. Here is the opportunity for us to step up our game and take care of our people. This is what they elected us for. Let’s support this project as a unit.”

Beaver Hills Alder Jill Marks: ​“This is something that the people have been fighting for for a long time and we all know that housing is important for our residents in the city of New Haven. People need decent places to live.”

Hill Alder Evelyn Rodriguez: ​“Very significant is the fact that the Board of Alders is looking at the issues regarding finance constantly on a regular basis in every way we can. This group of individuals not only did their background research, not only came in our neighborhoods, but they looked at a lot of different things. They looked at parking issues, playground, community development, so there was a lot invested here in terms of the long-term. So, if we are to look at dollar signs this could be a tremendously cost-effective program, and I think that we need to as the individuals who have been elected to be very careful because projects like this are vulnerable and so needed. They need to not be affected because of the great needs that we have to address our city finances.”

Fair Haven Alder Jose Crespo: ​“The committee did its due diligence. Sometimes it grappled with what is a want versus what we need. This is definitely something we need, not only for this community but our city as a whole. Let’s unite. Let’s be able to grow and work in collaboration to give what the community needs.”

Yale Alder Hacibey Catalbasoglu: ​“When I used to live in West River, we stayed in a one-bedroom affordable housing unit, so I know how important that housing is to the lives of our city residents. I had neighbors, if they had not stayed in that affordable housing, who might have fallen into a cycle of poverty. A quick cost-benefit analysis would show that affordable housing is a dire need and we can still look ahead to collaborate and beautify and become a more financially solvent city. I think this is very needed in the city.”

The Changed Hearts

Two alders who had previously expressed heartburn over the length of the tax deferrals also decided to support the project despite their misgivings.

Quinnipiac Meadows Alder Gerald Antunes said he came around because of the need for more affordable housing and the fact that the developers are New Haveners who were invested in the long-term health of the city.

“At first I was very concerned about the 17-year tax deferral but the important fact here is that developers come, mostly from out of state,” he said. ​“And they do all their work, collect their tax deferments, collect their money and then they go home. In this case, it’s the residents who are doing the real big work here, and they will stay here.”

East Rock Alder Anna Festa, who has often voted with Roth and Winter, broke with them to support the Route 34 project, though she said she still wasn’t a supporter of the deferrals she didn’t think it was fair to residents and taxpayers who just saw their taxes increase by 11 percent. But she supported it because ​“affordable housing is something we need desperately in the city,” she said.

The Final Word

Walker-Myers said in her second floor speech about the project that alders made affordable housing and financial responsibility a part of their legislative agenda this term. She called supporting the project part of upholding that agenda.

“I know we are in difficult times in this city finance-wise,” she said. ​“But we take chances on a number of different things, and the people in my community deserve to have good safe adequate housing, just like any other part of this city.”

“They deserve it, they already did the work behind it, they put their money behind it and all they are asking for the city to believe in them the same way they already believe int heir neighborhood,” she added.

Walker-Myers, who grew up in the neighborhood, went to school there and moved back there to raise her children, said those who are involved in the project are neighborhood people who are invested in seeing it through. She also said when the project is completed the neighbors will have the skill to develop and manage more affordable projects in other parts of the city.

“Every day they get up they have to look across the street at this project so we’re going to make sure it works,” she said. ​“It really is no ​‘If it doesn’t work out.’ The benefit is actually for the people who live in the neighborhood.”