Windsor opens applications for $2 million for affordable housing

Windsor is making $2.1 million in funds available for affordable housing developments in the town, officials said.

Under the town’s inclusionary housing ordinance, developers of market rate housing are required to either build affordable housing units or pay in-lieu fees to the town.

Those fees, which go into the town’s Inclusionary Housing Fund, are used both to help preserve existing affordable housing stock and to create new affordable units, said Patrick Streeter, Windsor’s community development director.

Since 2017, Windsor has made available just over $1.6 million in inclusionary funds to developers, before this year’s funding.

The 2017 round went toward two projects: a 33-unit project for low- and very low-income tenants; and a project with 16 for-sale units for low-income households.

In 2018, the town awarded $500,000 to the Windsor Veterans Village, which has 60 units of rental housing for extremely low- and very low-income veterans and their families.

Applications for the latest round of funding are due by June 27.

Streeter said that projects eligible for funding include: construction or acquisition of permanent, for-sale affordable housing and affordable rental housing; acquisition of land to develop affordable housing; transitional or emergency housing and homeless shelters; preservation of at-risk assisted housing; and housing for people who are homeless, disabled, veterans or seniors.

Information about application requirements and criteria available on the Town’s website: https://www.townofwindsor.com/DocumentCenter/View/28067/2023-Windsor-AffordableHousing-NOFA.

Streeter can be reached at 707-838-5313 or pstreeter@townofwindsor.com for more information.

You can reach Staff Writer Jeremy Hay at 707-387-2960 or jeremy.hay@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jeremyhay