Sustained approach and background screening key to successful housing property in Connecticut

An 83-year-old building at the corner of Asylum and High Street on the western outskirt of downtown Hartford, Connecticut, represents one of the city's most prominent examples of sustainable housing, The Connecticut News Project reports.

 Reopened in 2009, Hollander Building is now a mixed income housing property, which would have been turned into a parking lot until philanthropic and historical organizations rallied for its renovation and upkeep. Hollander Building offers one and two-bedroom apartments and studios. Rent for the two-bedroom units go for $1500 to $1600, while the remaining units are offered as tax-credit spaces which go for a lower rate of $900 per month at most. In addition to donations from non-profits, maintaining housing policies kept the building a desirable location. Sharon Gowen of Community Solutions and the building's manager told the news source that a safe housing environment begins with the work of the tenants who should always implement a careful background screening for each applicant. "We work with people probably more than most landlords," Gowen said. "But there's really no big secret to this. If you make something clean and safe and responsive to the needs of the community, people will want to live there."