$200,000 raised from Manchester sale of vacant lots to build affordable homes for women

Paul Feely, The New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester

Aug. 7—Manchester aldermen voted unanimously Tuesday night to use $200,000 from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund to create eight new units of affordable housing for homeless women, a move made possible due to the recent sale of vacant city lots.

The 15 vacant lots sold by auction in June generated $1.13 million, 100% of which went to the city's Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais first mentioned the effort to identify city-owned vacant parcels that could be sold to generate housing funds when he took office in January.

On Wednesday, Ruais thanked aldermen for their support for the effort.

"Homelessness is a complex issue that requires a comprehensive response, which we've tackled with the implementation of 12 different initiatives since January," Ruais said. "The board's vote of confidence reflects the city's determination to meet homelessness head on and increase affordable housing."

Ruais said the eight units will be made available to homeless women at a rate of $800 a month, calling the effort "a incredible start."

"This is a microcosm of what we need to build city-wide," Ruais said. "The lack of affordable housing is one of the biggest challenges to solving homelessness. It creates a bottleneck in our shelters, and it stops people from getting off the streets permanently. That's what we are building on and working towards."

The lots identified surplus and sold are as follows:

* Wellington Hill Road, Lot 645-41;

* Wellington Hill Road, Lots 645-39 and 645-40;

* Erie Street, Lot 455-10, and Boynton Street, Lot 658-32A;

* Calef Road and Titus Avenue, Lot 554-17C;

* North Bay Street, Lot 770-23;

* Boston Street, Lots 283-1, 2, 3, and 8;

* Patterson Street, Lot 449-16B;

* Bicentennial Drive, 560-95A;

* Saint James Avenue, Lot 579-29;

* Pinehurst Avenue, Lot 685-14;

* Gosselin Road, Lot 750-11;

* Huntress Street, Lots 753-9E and 9G;

* Hackett Hill Road, 767-4B;

* Leo Street, Lot 853-34;

* 44 Trolly Court, Lot 897-145.

Ruais said the city anticipates the lots will be developed and put back on the tax roll, generating revenue that was previously lost.

"We will continue to look for opportunities to put surplus into service in the future," Ruais said.

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