A major strength of New Haven is that it is a city of neighborhoods, and Yale is proud to play a role in some of the many neighborhood revitalization efforts making this community even stronger. Because homeownership is essential to stabilizing neighborhoods and helping families create wealth, Yale established its Homebuyer Program in 1994. The program has since helped more than 1,000 Yale faculty and staff buy their homes in New Haven. More than two-thirds of these participants have been first time homebuyers.
The Homebuyer Program is open to any permanent university employee working 20 or hours or more a week and provides an annual income benefit to those who purchase a home to own and occupy in target areas in the city. It provides employees with a $5,000 first-year bonus and an annual $2,500 grant for up to 10 years as long as they continue to own the home and remain employed by Yale.