This summer, Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven had the privilege of touring the recently completed Great Hill Cottage Community in Guilford, an innovative and inspiring model of affordable, environmentally friendly homeownership. Joined by Governor Ned Lamont and community leaders, we saw firsthand how sustainable design, thoughtful financing, and strong partnerships are making a difference for families.
Great Hill Cottage Community
Built by The Green Planet Company, the Great Hill Cottage Community is a collection of nine cottages (plus model homes) on approximately 9 acres in Guilford. The homes are clustered near downtown Guilford on State Street, with woods, a restored pond, and open green spaces.
These cottages are single-family, with 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom variations. They were designed to be net-zero or net-zero ready, meaning they will produce as much energy as they consume (or very nearly), thanks to features like solar panels, high insulation, airtight construction, and energy-efficient windows and systems.
Our Role & Why It Matters
- HomeOwnership Center collaboration: We helped with identifying and supporting qualified homebuyers. This ensures that purchasers are ready and able to sustain ownership.
- Advocacy & partnership: together with Green Planet, state agencies, Guilford town government, and other stakeholders, we helped pull together the complex mix of financing, subsidies, and regulatory approvals necessary to make this project feasible.
Projects like this matter because they prove that homeownership with sustainability doesn’t have to be out of reach. They help stabilize communities and reduce environmental impact.
The Tour with Governor Lamont
On our tour this summer, we saw: the pride homeowners feel, the relief of finding something permanent and affordable, the excitement about lower utility bills because of energy efficiency, and the beauty of homes that respect both human and environmental health.
Photo from Abby Brone, Connecticut Public
Governor Lamont’s support underscored what Green Planet, NHS of New Haven, and all partners have been working toward: scalable, replicable models for affordable, sustainable homeownership in Connecticut.
If you want to learn more, get involved, or help bring similar models to other towns, we’d love to talk.
