{"id":240492,"date":"2026-02-03T07:30:28","date_gmt":"2026-02-03T12:30:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=240492"},"modified":"2026-02-03T16:02:48","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T21:02:48","slug":"uconn-waterbury-students-drive-neighborhood-revitalization-through-innovative-housing-clinic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2026\/02\/uconn-waterbury-students-drive-neighborhood-revitalization-through-innovative-housing-clinic\/","title":{"rendered":"UConn Waterbury Students Drive Neighborhood Revitalization Through Innovative Housing Clinic"},"content":{"rendered":"

“Building community” is an oft-cited goal of businesses, local governments, and nonprofit organizations, and now an innovative new course at UConn Waterbury is offering students the opportunity to do just that – literally.<\/p>\n

Launched in partnership with the Connecticut Department of Housing (DOH), the UConn Waterbury Housing Clinic for Thriving Communities is a signature experiential learning course designed to prepare students to tackle real-world affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization challenges.<\/p>\n

Developed as part of DOH\u2019s statewide Urban Investment Pilot Program, the clinic was intentionally created to connect undergraduate students with local housing developers and active community projects, translating state housing priorities into hands-on academic learning. Introduced in Fall 2024 as a four-credit course, the clinic blends policy, planning, and practice to equip students with the tools needed to support equitable, community-driven development in Waterbury.<\/p>\n

This initiative is supported by the Harold Webster Smith Foundation, whose generous funding provides faculty and student stipends, and strengthened through strategic partnerships with the Connecticut Department of Housing and NeighborWorks New Horizons. Together, these collaborators create a dynamic learning environment where students gain practical skills while advancing equity-driven solutions for local neighborhoods.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy partnering with our academic institutions, we are turning classrooms into engines for broader community impact,\u201d says Connecticut Housing Commissioner Seila Mosquera-Bruno. \u201cThese student-led efforts help advance real housing solutions, while inspiring the next generation to see affordable housing as meaningful, impactful and achievable work.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Students’ proposed design of a rehabilitated building in the Hillside neighborhood of Waterbury (UConn Photo).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cAcross this initiative, we\u2019ve worked with more than 100 students statewide, many of whom are now considering careers in affordable housing development, clear evidence that this model is working,\u201d says Marina Marmolejo, Director of Housing Innovation at the DOH.<\/p>\n

As part of a growing statewide model, the DOH has now launched three housing clinics at Yale University, UConn Waterbury, and most recently Trinity College in Hartford, each designed to connect students with real-world affordable housing and community development work. Together, these clinics expand access to experiential learning in New Haven, Waterbury, and Hartford, while cultivating a pipeline of emerging leaders in housing innovation.<\/p>\n

A Unique Model in Higher Education<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Housing Clinic for Thriving Communities offered at UConn Waterbury parallels Yale’s Urban Design Workshop<\/a>, which involves graduate students from the Yale School of Architecture, Yale Law School, and Yale School of Management. What makes UConn Waterbury\u2019s approach distinctive is that it offers this experience at the undergraduate level, providing early exposure to urban planning, housing policy, and community development.<\/p>\n

The Housing Clinic course is open to all students at UConn Waterbury as an elective. Those with interests in allied or public health, housing and community development, urban design, engineering, business, or the social sciences will find this course especially valuable for its interdisciplinary approach and real-world impact.<\/p>\n

“Being part of this course has given me the confidence to envision a future in urban planning and housing,\u201d says Adriana Figueroa ’26 (CLAS), a senior majoring in Urban and Community Studies.<\/p>\n

Fall 2024: Building Foundations<\/strong><\/p>\n

In its inaugural semester, UConn Waterbury students immersed themselves in revitalization efforts in Waterbury\u2019s Willow Street neighborhood. Guided by faculty and community experts, students analyzed zoning regulations, property ownership, demographic trends, and neighborhood needs to propose redevelopment strategies for seven sites. Their work included:<\/p>\n