Luxenberg Touting $70K In Housing Grants Heading To Manchester

MANCHESTER, CT — State Rep. Geoff Luxenberg (D-Manchester) Friday announced several grants heading Manchester's way from Hartford.

Luxenberg co-chairs the legislative Housing Committee and the Housing Advisory Panel, which voted on Friday to approve one-time grant funding awards that he welcomed as part of the Interest on Real Estate Brokers Trust Account Program, including $70,000 for eight Manchester-area organizations.

Recipients include:

• MARC Inc. of Manchester - $15,000
• CHR - $10,000
• MACC Community Emergency Food Pantry - $10,000
• Second Chance Re-Entry Initiative Program, Inc. - $10,000
• Interval House - $10,000
• CT Mutual Aid: East of the River $5,000
• Town of Manchester Human Services Department - $5,000
• Rebuilding Together of Manchester - $5,000

The IOREBTA Program funds annually support appraisal gap financing for first-time homebuyers, development of affordable housing projects, counseling for low- and moderate-income homebuyers, and second mortgage down payment assistance.

For example, Luxenberg said, the grant funding for MARC will help with needed exterior renovations at one of the residential homes it manages, specifically windows. The window seals are failing due to age and quality of the original building materials, so replacing them would protect against further weather-related damage and maximize energy efficiency, he said.

"All of these organizations are dedicated to selflessly serving the community, so I am proud to have advocated for funding to further the great work they do," Luxenberg said.