A mere $36.5 million in state funds are catalyzing 652 new housing units in seven real estate developments across Connecticut.

The recipients of latest Connecticut Communities Challenge grant cycle, announced Tuesday, also include a new marketplace and office space.

“These projects will bring foot traffic, mixed-use environments, and a significant number of new housing units to eight Connecticut communities,” DECD Deputy Commissioner Alexandra Daum said in a statement. “These investments are focused on in-fill opportunities in downtown and main street areas with existing centers of development and activity. In addition to increasing the livability of our communities, stimulating transit-oriented development is another key goal of this program. Many of the awards under this second round will go to projects located within a quick walk from transit options, helping to get Connecticut residents off the roads and onto our excellent transit system.”

Daum has been nominated as the next DECD commissioner to replace current Commissioner David Lehman, who plans to step down in January.

The money will leverage around $143.5 million in private investments, Gov. Ned Lamont’s office said.

“We created this grant program as a component of our efforts to spur economic growth and the creation of new jobs as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic,” Lamont said in a statement. “Each of these approved state grants are going toward projects that improve the livability and quality of life in communities and will make these neighborhoods even more attractive for private investments and opportunities for residents.”

The projects awarded are:

• Berlin: $1.56 million as part of the financing package for a 10-unit $3.63 million affordable rental development by Newport Realty Group at Berlin’s Newport Center train station.
• Fairfield: $3 million for the $10 million replacement of a 2,800-foot sewer line, opening the way for 357 new housing units, a 118-key hotel, 70,000 square feet of office space and 40,000 square feet of retail space near the town’s Fairfield Metro MetroNorth station.
• Groton: $8.46 million as part of a $81.36 million public and private financing package for the Groton Housing Authority and Rogers Development to build 256 new housing units on or near the Thames River.
• Hartford: $5.5 million towards the $16.72 million development of a 57-apartment, mixed-use and mixed-income building in the Parkville Arts and Innovation District next to a CTfastrak bus rapid transit station.
• Naugatuck: $6 million as part of a $17.3 million financing package for infrastructure and other improvements around the Naugatuck green to enable a 180-unit Penrose development next to the city’s planned train station.
• New Britain: $4 million to help pay for the $17.54 million redevelopment of a 79-unit, mixed-use project near the city’s own CTfastrak station.
• Stamford: $2.7 million, art of a $4.1 million infrastructure improvement package that will open the way for an unspecified 247-unit housing development in downtown Stamford.
• Torrington: $5.28 million towards the $32.25 million redevelopment of an old factory building into a “large-scale marketplace” in the city’s downtown, with office space to be built out in a later phase,