Neighborhood Housing Services of New Britain, Inc.

Street Address:
223 Broad Street
New Britain, CT 06053


Phone: 860-224-2433
Fax: 860-225-6131
Website: www.nhsnb.org

Alan Watson, Executive Director

Contact Name: Alan Watson
Phone: 860-224-2433
Fax: 860-225-6131
Email: awatson@nhsnb.org


Staff Size: Full Time: 6    Part Time: 3

Background
NHSNB is a non-profit housing corporation that has been providing financial assistance, technical support, and housing-related services to neighborhoods in Greater New Britain and Central Connecticut for 30 years. Originally created to assist existing owners repair and improve their homes, the mission of NHSNB has broadened over the years to meet the demands of social, economic and cultural change. Today, NHSNB is a partnership of residents, government and businesses collaboratively responding to the local housing, neighborhood revitalization and economic independence needs of our diverse, working poor communities. NHSNB is a member of the national NeighborWorks® America Network and has extensive experience in financing home rehabilitation and property improvements, educating and counseling clients for homeownership and economic independence, and developing new affordable housing and real estate venture projects. NHSNB is a HUD-certified Community Housing Development Organization and Local Housing Counseling Agency and is licensed with State Banking for second mortgages. As a well-respected provider of homebuyer education and counseling, NHSNB has a reputation as a forerunner and a producer in the housing field and has remained, over the past six years, one of the Top Ten producers of new first-time homebuyers in the nation. Last fiscal year, NHSNB provided bilingual group training and individual counseling services to 495 potential homeowners including residents from Greater New Britain and fifteen other cities and towns across the Capital and Central Connecticut Regions. NHSNB has provided homebuyer education for the state’s Community Housing Finance Authority (CHFA) for the last twelve years and delinquency/default counseling for the last seven. In 2002, New Britain served as lead agent for NHS of Connecticut, Inc. (a consortium of state NWOs) and successfully obtained funding to increase opportunities for economic independence among under-served populations by introducing financial literacy training to bilingual families in the state’s seven largest cities. In 2003, NHSNB completed its largest development project to date - the Skrentny Building Block, a $2.2M Broad Street reuse project offering elderly and handicap tenants living space with character, convenience, and affordability, all within walking distance to shopping and public transportation. Consistent with our revitalization goals, NHSNB has acquired, rehabilitated, and r

Mission
It is the Mission of Neighborhood Housing Services of New Britain, Inc (NHSNB) to revitalize and stabilize Central Connecticut neighborhoods making them desirable “environments of choice” where diverse individuals can live, work, grow and prosper.

Total Operating Expense (9/30/2007): $612,002

 Lines of Business
  • Asset and Property Management

  • Community Based Economic Development

  • Community Building and Organizing

  • Home Ownership Promotion Services

  • Lending and Loan Portfolio Management

  • Real Estate Development


    • National NeighborWorks ® Programs
  • NeighborWorks Campaign for Home Ownership

    • Accomplishments in FY 2008
  • Provided 291 families with pre- and post- purchase housing counseling.
  • Rehabilitated or repaired 7 rental or owner occupied units (1-4 units).
  • Assisted 89 families in purchasing a home through homeownership counseling, downpayment, closing cost or financing assistance.
  • Owned or managed 16 rental units.
  • Invested $ in the community through Neighborhood Housing Services of New Britain, Inc.'s revolving loan fund, which leveraged $14,251,902 from conventional lenders and other sources.
  • Total direct investment in the community is $14,251,902.

    • Additional Accomplishments
    Date Additional Accomplishment
    12/21/2005 Major accomplishments for NHSNB over the past year included: • The final phase expansion of our investment market areas to include citywide and inter-town coverage • The official appointment of Alan W. Watson as our organization’s new, permanent Executive Director • The completion of 18 property lead paint remediation projects and the attendant training and certification of 23 contractors in lead-safe handling practices • The completion of 17 inspections and bid write-ups for neighborhood properties in New Britain and Hartford • The underwriting of 6 rehabilitation and renovation loans to improve local properties • The provision of homebuyer education and one-on-one counseling and training to 495 clients • The new purchase of homes by 189 homebuyer education and counseling graduates • The granting of CDBG allocations to improve storefronts and exterior façades of 12 to 17 commercial and mixed use buildings in New Britain’s NRZs • The completed acquisition, rehab and resale of 2 vacant Sexton Street properties to first-time homebuyers with incomes below 80 percent of MSA The major outcomes realized through these accomplishments helped to strengthen investment areas in several significant ways: • More children under the age of six now live in lead-safe housing • There will be fewer health and safety incidents resulting from improper lead-handling practices • Owner-occupancy rates and reinvestment levels were increased creating greater stability in the neighborhoods • Several affordable housing properties were created • More low-income first-time buyers were able to purchase a home • More property owners were able to save their homes and avoid foreclosure • More families enjoyed an increase in personal economic independence, and • New opportunities to increase commerce and improve small business environments were created

    Community Services
  • Community Building

  •  Clean-up Project

  •  Community Outreach and Organizing

  •  Landscape and Neighborhood Beautification

  •  Neighborhood / Resident Crime Watch

  • Financial Planning and Assistance

  •  Disposition of Foreclosed Property

  •  Down-payment Assistance

  •  Financial Education

  •  Foreclosure Prevention Training

  • Green Building and Home Improvement

  •  Energy Conservation Programs

  •  Environmental Friendly Building Materials

  •  Handyman Referrals

  •  Home Maintenance Training

  •  Lead Poison Prevention

  • Housing Programs and Home Ownership Counseling

  •  Home Ownership Counseling

  •  Rental Housing


    • Board of Directors
    NameBoard Role/TitleSectorCompany/OrganizationJob Title
    Cornell AllisonBoard MemberResident  
    Marion CareyBoard MemberResident  
    Philip CaseriaBoard MemberLocal GovernmentNew Britain Police Union 
    Jose CorreaBoard MemberFinancial InstitutionWebster BankMortgage Loan Officer
    Margo DrummondBoard MemberResident  
    Audrey FisherBoard PresidentResident  
    Mark FortinBoard MemberLocal GovernmentCommission on Community & Neighborhood Development 
    Daniel GarciaBoard TreasurerFinancial InstitutionTD BanknorthCommunity Development, Mortgage Loan Officer
    Pam HippolyteBoard MemberFinancial InstitutionPeoples Bank 
    Linda KloppBoard Vice President; Board MemberBusinessOkay Industries, Inc 
    Scott KosswigBoard SecretaryResident  
    Ann MarshallBoard MemberResident  
    Mike MaznioBoard MemberBusinessUnited Technologies Corp-UTC Fire & SecurityRisk Manager
    Deirdre McBainBoard MemberFinancial InstitutionAmerican Eagle Federal Credit UnionSenior Loan Officer
    Robyn SantanaBoard MemberResident  
    Jude SatalinoBoard MemberFinancial InstitutionMcCue Mortgage 
    Anthony WaiteBoard MemberResident  
    Frank WiatrBoard MemberLocal GovernmentCity Of New Britain 
    John ZiminskiBoard MemberResident  

    About the NeighborWorks ® Network
    The NeighborWorks® network is a nationwide network of more than 240 community development organizations working in nearly 4358 urban, suburban and rural communities across America. These organizations engage in revitalization strategies that strengthen communities and transform lives. In the last five years alone, NeighborWorks® organizations have generated more than $8.5 billion in reinvestment and helped more than 500,000 families of modest means purchase or improve their homes or secure safe, decent rental or mutual housing.

    NeighborWorks ® America Contact Information
    District:  New England
    Name:  Frances Cinicola
    Phone:  617-585-5027
    Toll-Free:  
    Fax:  617-450-0427
    Email:  fcinicola@nw.org