notes by Jessica Rivera for CT Fair Housing Center, Nov 2011
One of my legal interns (who happens to have majored in History in undergrad), Jessica Rivera, has pulled together the attached notes from her research on public housing developments in Hartford gathered from the Hartford Public Library. My goal here is to try to figure out when public housing in the Hartford area was built and the racial composition of the residents. In a perfect world we would be able to convert this into an interactive map that could show over time how family public housing was almost exclusively built in Hartford and populated by people of color. I recognize that it won’t be as simple as that (already our research as shown how WWII veterans’ housing was a big part of the equation), but I am hoping we can get something useful out of the research. It might also be interested to look into efforts to build elderly housing in the suburbs. I wanted to share this with you for a couple of reasons. First, to the extent it is helpful to your research (even in this early semi-draft form), you are welcome to it. Second, if you would like to collaborate on this, for example if you had an undergrad intern who wanted to work with Jess, that would be great. Third, we would welcome any advice on methodology (for example – Jess has not made copies of these reports, but obviously they would be good to have). Jess is now going through some of the Sheff Housing boxes to see if she can connect the information she has found to anything in there. Any involvement is welcome and we are happy to share any results with you. Erin Boggs
From: Jessica Rivera [mailto:riveraj@tcd.ie] Sent: Tuesday, November 01, 2011 4:36 PM To: Erin Boggs Subject: Public Housing Notes
Hi Erin,
I have attached my notes from my research so far. Is this information helpful, or am I missing some key information?
Jessica
Second Annual Report by The Housing Authority of the City of Hartford, 1940-1941 -Defense housing is the new reality; Authority already had a basic program of providing low-rent, slum-clearance housing for families of low income
Third Annual Report by The Housing Authority of the City of Hartford, 1941-1942 -“At the outset of public housing in Hartford all dwellings were to be rented to families qualifying for admission solely because of their low incomes and high housing needs. Today more than 70 percent of the Authority’s tenants are families approved for renting by virtue of their employment in war industries.” However, policy will be for low income defense workers. (P. 4)
Eigth Annual Report by The Housing Authority of the City of Hartford, 1946-1947 -New task of the Authority was to convert all low-rent projects to original purpose (low-income families)
Ninth Annual Report by The Housing Authority of the City of Hartford, 1947-1948 -Public Housing Administration dictates preference in housing for families of WWII vets (still should be low-income families though) (P. 6) -No income limitations in Blue Hills, Airport Homes, and Charter Oak Extension (P. 7) -Photos from projects still mostly white in this report
Tenth Annual Report by The Housing Authority of the City of Hartford, 1948-1949 -Housing Act of 1949 passed- It had a slum-clearance goal -Moderate Rental Housing (State-Aided)- Preference given to families of veterans
Eleventh Annual Report by The Housing Authority of the City of Hartford, 1949-1950 -Redevelopment Agency has been created from the Housing Act of 1949
Twelfth Annual Report by The Housing Authority of the City of Hartford, 1950-1951 -Funding for housing: A.) Low-rent housing is federally aided; B.) Moderate Rental Housing is financed through repayable loans from the state of CT; C.) Federally owned war housing; D.) City owned temporary housing for war veterans
Public Housing in Hartford Publication, Housing Authority of the City of Hartford, 1951-1952 -With completion of Stowe Village, the total number of people living in public housing in Hartford will be about 10% of the population of the city (P. 10)
Public Housing in Hartford Publication, Housing Authority of the City of Hartford, 1954-1955 -Number of families receiving welfare assistance: Low Rent=611, Moderate Rental=12 (P. 14) -Number of families receiving veterans’ benefits: Low Rent=27, Moderate Rental=124 (P. 14) -Veterans still get preference -Bellevue Square photos in this publication are all black (P. 25)
Public Housing in Hartford Publication, Housing Authority of the City of Hartford, 1957-1958 -Started considering how to house senior citizens
Public Housing in Hartford Publication, Housing Authority of the City of Hartford, 1958-1959 -1st time race is mentioned in terms of housing -States in Tenant Selection: Placing of families in available units on integrated basis is one of primary duties of the department (P. 23) -Application of eligible families on file as of June 1, 1959 (P. 23): Low Rent Projects: 47 (white) 331 (Negro) 58(Other-PR) Moderate-Rental Projects: 63(white) 118(Negro) 7(Other) -A number of units in low rental projects set aside for senior citizens
Hartford Housing Authority Annual Report, 1959-1960 -Huge focus on elderly after this -Stop mentioning preference for war veterans in this publication
Twenty-Fifth Annual Report, Housing Authority of the City of Hartford, 1963-1964 -Families with children preferred (P. 1)
Twenty-Eigth Annual Report, Housing Authority of the City of Hartford, 1966-1967 -New Leasing and Rehabilitation Programs- Done through the cooperation of private real estate owners, based on the scattered site principle (P. 5, 8) -Tenant Selection: Eligible Applications as of November 1, 1967 (P. 17): Low Income: White (129) Negro(295) Other(260) Moderate Income: White(108) Negro(229) Other(48)
Annual Report, Housing Authority of the City of Hartford, 1967-1968 -Eligible Tenant Applications as of December 1, 1968 (P. 11): Low Income: White(97) Negro(401) Other(277) Moderate Income: White(38) Negro(211) Other(62) Senior Low Income: White(362) Negro(35) Other(5) Senior Moderate Income: White(44) Negro(8) Other(1)
Housing Projects in the Order They Were Built Nelton Court -Location: North End- Main, Westland, Acton and Nelson Streets -Construction: Began January 17, 1940 -1st low-rent, slum-clearance project of the Authority -Occupancy: Began February 1, 1941 -Units: In 1940, had 146 units; May 6, 1942, started another 10 units (Initial Occupancy of those units began on February 6, 1943); By 1944, total of 156 units; 1959-1960, 36 units reserved for elderly
Dutch Point Colony -Location: Near Colt Park- Stonington, Norwich, and Wyllys Streets -Construction: Began April 2, 1940 -2nd low-rent project to be started by Authority -Occupancy: Began March 1, 1941 -Units: 222 units in 1944; 1959-1960, 52 units reserved for elderly
Bellevue Square -Location: North End- Wooster, Canton, Pavilion and Bellevue Streets -Construction: Began December 24, 1940 -3rd low-rent, slum-clearance housing project; It was the largest and the 1st actual slum-clearance project; Designated 70 units as defense units because their incomes were too high for low-rent housing in 1941-42; By 1947, need for housing war workers had passed and the project returned to being administered as a low-rent project -Occupancy: Began July 21, 1941 -Units: First authorized for 345 units on July 25. 1940; Increased to 501 units on March 22, 1941; Extension added 156 units (Construction on those units began May 6, 1942, with first occupancy April 27, 1943)?
Charter Oak Terrace -Location: Southwest section- Flatbush and Newfield Aves., Dart and Chandler Streets -Construction: Began February 11, 1941 -Built as low-rent housing program set aside as a permanent war home community; Largest Defense Housing Project in New England; Started the change to low-income on April 1, 1947 -Occupancy: Began October 29, 1941 -Units: 1,000; 1959-1960, 200 units reserved for occupancy by elderly
Blue Hills Homes -Location: North End- Tower Ave., Coventry, E. Burnham Streets -Construction: Began September 14, 1942, completed October 1943 -To accommodate only war workers (restricted in 1945); Built as permanent war home community -Federally owned war housing -Occupancy: Began August 31, 1943 -Units: 200 as of July 1, 1950 -Vacated: Homes sold off June 30, 1955
Charter Oak Terrace Extension -Location: Brookfield St., Flatbush Ave., Chandler Street, Sherbrook Drive -Construction: Began February 4, 1943, completed 1944 -Built as temporary war home community -Occupancy: Began January 7, 1944 -Units: 152 temporary dwelling units -Vacated: Beginning June 30, 1951; All buildings vacated and sealed by July 1, 1952 -Demolished: December 1953
Airport Homes -Location: Southeast- Brainard Rd., adjacent to municipal airport -Built as temporary war home community; Authority took over management in February 1944 (Constructed by Farm Security Administration) -City Owned -Units: 236 -Vacated; 114 units being vacated as of July 1, 1950
Rice Heights -Location: Flatbush Ave -Construction: Began July, 1948 -Intended to be moderate income rental housing -State Aided -Occupancy: Began September 1, 1949; For the extension, May 2, 1951 -Units: 294, w/ 148 adjacent units being built (on Brookfield St.); 416 units as of 1964
Chester Bowles Park -Location: Northwest- Granby Street -Construction: Began June 28, 1949 -Moderate rental housing project -State Aided -Occupancy: Began July 1, 1950 -Units: 410
Westbrook Village -Location: Albany Ave. -Moderate Income Rental Housing -State Aided -Occupancy: Began February 7, 1951 -Units: 360
Harriet Beecher Stowe Village -Location: Kensington Street -Construction: Began March 1951 -Low-rent development project; Enough people did not meet the low income requirements to initially fill the units, so the Authority temporarily ended Authority’s rule that tenants must be living in Hartford for two years before they gain entry to a project (for this project only) -Administration-Aided (using federal funds from 1949 Act) -Occupancy: Began February 1953 -Units: 600
Mary Mahoney Village -Constructed: Dedication ceremony on October 14, 1964 -Low-income housing development built by Authority for senior citizens -Units: 50
Percival Smith Tower Location: In the Sheldon-Charter Oak redevelopment area -Elderly housing development -Units: 200
Kent Apartments -Low-income projects -Units: 37