FOR DWIGHT HOMEOWNERS
Dear Neighbor,
Your home is part of the Dwight Street National Historic District. We are volunteers interested in sharing information with our neighbors about resources that can help to maintain our homes in this historic neighborhood. We bought our houses because the price was right. It can be a challenge to fix up a historic house. However, there are resources that can help. We are providing some information here. If you need help to apply for loans or grants, or if you are not sure what to do first, or where to find people with the skills to care for your historic homes, help is available. We have asked the following organizations to join with us to be sure that you can get the help you need to keep up with repairs that your house may need: the New Haven Preservation Trust, Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven, and the Community Action Agency of New Haven.
Feel free to use the resources listed. If you have questions email FriendsofDwight@gmail.com We will follow up.
--- Olivia Martson, Chairperson. Pat Wallace, project coordinator.
TRAINING
LOANS AND GRANTS
Training
Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven (also known as NHS of New Haven) offers free classes in home maintenance, being a landlord and financial management. Sign up at their website.
New Haven Preservation Trust provides periodic workshops on how to apply for the Historic Preservation Tax Credit.
Loans and Grants
City of New Haven Livable City Initiative Loan Program. Contact Debby Golia, 203-946-8389 to see if you meet the income guidelines. There are specific programs to help people that are elderly or disabled, to help with energy-related problems or with lead paint.
CT Green Bank. This is a State of CT resource that provides a variety of tools to help you to make your home energy efficient.
Refinancing. Go to the Vision Appraisal database, City of New Haven, to see what your house is worth. Talk with your bank or credit union.
Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven home repair loans. Call for information.
TAX BENEFITS
REPAIR ADVICE AND SKILLED REPAIR HELP
Tax Benefits
Connecticut Historic Homes Rehabilitation Tax Credit Program. This program (temporarily suspended until late 2019) can provide a thirty percent tax credit for qualified expenses associated of $15,000 to $100,000 with the renovation of owner-occupied historic homes with one to four dwelling units; in the case of multiple dwelling units at least one unit must be owner-occupied. Talk with the New Haven Preservation Trust before starting renovation or repairs.
Preservation Easement. Talk with the CT Trust for Historic Preservation to see if this is right for you.
Repair Advice and Skilled Repair Help
Most licensed trades people have the skills to do most of the work you need to have done to maintain your home. However, work on historic homes can require knowledge and skills that not everyone has. If you are not sure what to do or who to hire, the New Haven Preservation Trust can help with a free consultation. NHS of New Haven can also assist you to connect with local carpenters, plumbers, electricians.
OTHER BENEFITS
CONTACTS
Other Benefits
Consider whether you may be eligible for benefits you are not getting. Use this link to use a program of the CT Community Action Agencies: http://cafcacalculator.cafca.org/. Older adults can also use BenefitsCheckup.org, a free and secure online program. Community Action Agency of New Haven can help you to apply for energy assistance and to complete application forms for other kinds of assistance.
Contacts
New Haven Preservation Trust: www.nhpt.org 203-562-5919
Community Action Agency: https://www.caanh.net Energy Appointments: 203-285-8018; Family Services Department for other types of applications/programs: 203-387-7700, Ext. 4.
Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven: https://nhsofnewhaven.org 203-562-0598