$10M HUD 202 Award Will Create Housing for Seniors on Felician Campus
Award will create 45 homes, providing affordability and stability for seniors
(October 20, 2023) – Enfield, CT – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Multifamily Housing Programs granted $10,140,166 to create 45 homes for older adults on the Felician campus. This award is part of HUD’s $160.1 million in grants supporting non-profit organizations nationwide in developing affordable rental housing and project-based rental assistance for qualified seniors.
The Felician Sisters are partnering with The Community Builders (TCB) to repurpose an existing novitiate building that once served as housing and training space for Sisters. The building, vacant for three years, will be preserved, and an energy-efficient addition will be developed to create 45 affordable homes for seniors. The project will also include community gathering spaces and amenities such a health and wellness center, community gardens, and outdoor walking paths.
“The Felician Sisters thank HUD for this award which supports our vision of providing affordable and stable housing for seniors while preserving a historic community asset,” said Sr Nancy Piecewicz, Felician Sisters. “The redevelopment of the campus is an opportunity to preserve the legacy and rich history of Enfield while allowing us to continue to serve the great community of Enfield as we’ve have done for 90 years.”
Only three organizations received this award in Connecticut. In addition to the Felician Sisters’ project, a Section 202 award will also support the Enfield Housing Authority. “It is a rare opportunity for a community to receive two federal awards. We are lucky that Enfield will be able to leverage these competitive funds to support our senior community and to preserve the Felician campus,” stated Mayor Cressotti.
The Felician Sisters have scaled back their original plans for housing and plan to limit it to the renovation of existing buildings into senior housing. Throughout the past year, they have been meeting with neighbors, town officials, and local and state elected officials to help shape the current plans for the novitiate building. “We are immensely grateful to HUD for recognizing the significance of the Felician campus housing development, and to the Enfield community for continuing to work with us on a plan that would fit within the community. This funding enables the Felician Sisters to maintain Enfield as their home without necessitating a zone change while creating 45 homes for older adult residents,” said Rachana Crowley, TCB senior director of development for New England. The utilization of the award for the Felician campus is dependent on meeting zoning requirements, with a need for a quick turnaround to access the allocated funding.
The Section 202 grants support the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to one of the nation’s most vulnerable populations and are offered under HUD’s Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program.
Section 202 grants provide elderly persons 62 years of age or older with the opportunity to live independently in an environment that provides necessary services to meet their unique needs.
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