Mayor Arunan Arulampalam announced the formation of Hartford’s Vacant Lot Task Force, a new initiative aimed at transforming the city’s vacant lots into vibrant spaces for homeownership and community growth. The task force will be co-chaired by Jonathan Harding, Corporation Counsel for the City of Hartford, and Jeff Auker, Director of Hartford’s Department of Development Services, which leads the city’s economic development efforts.
“Residents complain to me all the time about the blight and crime brought on by vacant lots in our community, and it is time to take action,” said Mayor Arulampalam. “Vacant lots represent both a challenge and an opportunity for Hartford. By bringing together city leaders, community partners, and experts under city leadership, we are taking decisive action to identify, prioritize, and redevelop these empty lots. Our goal is to increase homeownership, especially among Black and Brown residents, and to create pathways for families to have the opportunities to build generational wealth right here in Hartford.”
This initiative builds on Hartford’s broader efforts to address housing affordability and neighborhood revitalization, leveraging recent state and city investments and the bipartisan federal Neighborhood Homes Investment Act introduced by Congressman John Larson. The task force will begin its work immediately, with findings and recommendations to be shared with the public in the coming months.
Jonathan Harding, who leads the city’s legal department and has dedicated his career to public service, expressed his commitment to the task force’s mission. “I am honored to chair this task force and to work collaboratively with our community to turn vacant lots into opportunities for stability, safety, and prosperity,” Harding said.
“We know how a vacant lot can pull down a neighborhood, and how transformational it is when that that lot is turned into something our communities can be proud of,” said Logan Singerman, Executive Director of Southside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance. “We have seen how sites with old mattresses piled high and overgrown grass can be turned into homes, gardens, and playgrounds. SINA is honored to participate in the Mayor’s task force and looks forward to seeing real solutions emerge from this collaboration.”
“I look forward to collaborating with City leaders and community stakeholders to explore innovative, equitable, and sustainable strategies to return these parcels to productive use,” said Hartford Land Bank Executive Director Marcus Ordonez. “This work aligns closely with the Land Bank’s mission to revitalize neighborhoods and foster inclusive growth across Hartford.”
The task force’s membership is composed of city leaders, including the City of Hartford Department of Development Services, Office of Sustainability, Department of Public Works, and external partners like the Metropolitan District Commission, University of Connecticut, and more. A full membership roster can be found on the City of Hartford’s boards and commissions website.
