There is an effort to bring new life to historic and run-down homes in the City of New Haven.
That is goal for a home located at 387 Lenox Street, which is known to neighbors as a 'ghost house'. To refer to the home as a fixer-upper would be an understatement.
Neighbors call the home a 'ghost house' because no one has lived in it for many years.
“Why is that house all boarded up? It just really looks terrible," said Ariana Kosnides, who said seeing the 'ghost house' almost kept her from moving in across the street a couple of years ago. The home was build in 1830 and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
“Part of what makes New Haven beautiful is a lot of these older historic homes," said Kosnides.
There is a new effort from Habitat For Humanity to take the project on, to renovate, and eventually allow a local family in need to move into the home. There is a great need, with well over one hundred families recently applying to live in just seven Habitat For Humanity homes, according to the organization.
“It’s neighbors coming together to help neighbors to build a structure, but not only to build the structure but build a community," said Bill Casey, Executive Director of Habitat For Humanity of Greater New Haven.
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Casey along with Democratic U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal said they had concerns about future funding for home rehabilitation projects like this. The federal budget currently being proposed would eliminate Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), which are a major part of Habitat For Humanity funding. The Lenox Street home has not been purchased by Habitat For Humanity yet. The organization said that purchase depended on how much many federal dollars can be used.
"For people who live the neighborhood, it will be a great asset," said Kosnides.
