By CHARLENE LOVETT
By Charlene Lovett
On Friday, March 20, at 10 a.m., Claremont will celebrate the partial completion of the Goddard Block project, an $11 million investment in its city center and the creation of 36 newly constructed rental units. Given the building had been condemned three years ago for health and safety code violations and stood vacant until temporary certificates of occupancy were awarded this February for 10 units, this is welcome news. Not only does this mixed use/mixed-income project support the city’s goal of revitalizing the historic district, but it also helps alleviate a shortage of quality, affordable housing.
When Mr. LaCasse of New England Family Housing presented his project to the Claremont Planning and Zoning Boards in 2018, there were only minor changes to the footprint of the building. The real changes were in the form of a complete gutting of the building, an increase in square footage with the expansion of the second and third floors and the installation of an elevator. These changes transformed a condemned building that had housed commercial space and 24 rental units into a fully renovated building with newly furbished commercial space and 36 studio, one- or two-bedroom apartments.
As a mixed-income project, units are offered to qualified individuals with varying levels of income. Nine of the units are listed at fair market rate. The remaining units are offered at a percentage of the average family median income (AFMI) for Sullivan County which is $73,600. Nineteen are being offered at 60% and nine are being offered at 50%, equating to an income limit of $48,960 and $40,800 respectively for a family of four. The mixed-income model has been used successfully in communities across the nation, enabling people of varying income levels to have access to affordable, quality housing.
Property management is critical to the success of a mixed-use/mixed-income project. At the March 11 council meeting, councilors heard from Marcia Franklin, chief operating officer of Alliance Asset Management, the company hired by Mr. LaCasse to manage the Goddard Block. She spoke of the application and vetting process the company uses to ensure that only qualified applicants are eligible to rent units. Because of federal housing anti-discrimination laws, this is the process used whether the individual is able to afford an apartment at fair market rate or one using a Section 8 voucher.
At the same meeting, the council also heard from Michelle Aiken, executive director of the Claremont Housing Authority. She noted that, for years, Housing and Urban Development has allocated 140 Section 8 vouchers to Claremont. Traditionally, these vouchers were individually assigned. Recently, HUD created project-based vouchers (PBV), assigning the voucher to a building rather than the individual. A discussion ensued as to whether assigning 10 PBVs to the Goddard Block was in the best interest of the community. Regardless of what the final decision is, those needing housing assistance through the voucher program can apply to live at the Goddard Block. The property management company will ascertain eligibility via the application process.
The impact of Section 8 vouchers on a community is often a hotly debated topic. Some people believe them to be detrimental, others as needed now more than ever given the nationwide housing crisis. When we consider the people who benefit from them, we discover many are elderly, disabled or working in low-paying jobs. Ensuring that people of varying incomes have access to quality housing is a challenge all communities face, and the mixed-use/mixed-income model has proven to be a successful approach when well managed.
The city’s approval of the Goddard Block project signifies that Claremont has embarked upon this path. Mr. LaCasse’s $11 million investment into a once condemned building has furthered our revitalization efforts in the city center, and improved housing availability. Robust property management practices will ensure the long-term success of the Goddard Block. For more information on units available at the Goddard Block, please go to www.alliancenh.com. If you would like to join us in the celebration of yet another milestone in the revitalization of the city center or tour the building, please join us at the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, March 20, at 10 a.m.
Charlene Lovett is the mayor of Claremont and a 22-year Army veteran. She welcomes your feedback. Please email questions, comments or concerns to her at [email protected].
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