From 1996 to 2006, Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven worked in partnership with the Yale University School of Architecture on the Yale Building Project.  As part of the curriculum, the first-year architecture students would design a new house on a vacant lot owned by NHS.  The students then participated actively in the construction of the house, which gave them hands-on construction experience and saved NHS money on labor and construction costs.  Yale students and faculty members also secured valuable donated materials for the projects that not only kept development costs low, but provided amenities that are not often found in affordable housing developments.  In addition, the houses were all highly energy-efficient, to save our homebuyers money on heating costs for as long as they own their homes.

In 2011, we collaborated again with the Yale School of Architecture to build a house on Orchard Street. Yale students and faculty members, and NHS VISTAs all pitched in to build a two-family home using the same priniciples that made our past projects such a success. We look forward to future collaborations.

Yale Building Projects are in evidence in New Haven on Cedar Hill Avenue, Derby Avenue, Sherman Avenue, Winthrop Avenue, West Read Street, Fifth Street, Parmelee Avenue, Porter Street, Hudson Street, Orchard Street, and Henry Street.