Armstrong Court.......
Show us the $$$! Where did the rental & Community Development Block Grant funding go?
Where did the rental and CDBG funding go? For this property to be in such a poor devastating state and so much money coming in over the years from rental from 1951 to date what happened? Year after year the town of Greenwich has giving federal funding through their community development block grant funding to the Greenwich Housing Authority to be utilized for Low and Moderate income housing to end blight. What happened here?
What is the Community Development Block Grant?
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) is one of the formula grant programs administered by the Community Planning and Development of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Program is authorized under Title 1 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, Public Law 93-383, as amended; 42 U.S.C-5301 et seq. This program provides annual grants on a formula basis to eligible grantees (cities and counties) for the purpose of addressing the needs established by the local communities by providing decent housing, suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income persons and families. The Town receives entitlement grants (CDBG funds) to carry out a wide range of community development activities to improve community facilities and services through subrecipients. The CD Administrator works with an Advisory Committee, CDAC, in selecting the activities to be recommended for CDBG funding.
http://www.ct.gov/ecd/lib/ecd/housing_plans/2010-15_cp_-_hud_approved.pdf
pg 199-202
Priority Rationale The Healthy Homes Initiative and approach addresses not only lead-based paint environmental hazards, but in many cases the source of such hazards (e.g., moisture intrusion) while simultaneously reducing the likelihood and/or burden of disease associated with other home-based health hazards. Some examples of diseases and illnesses caused or exacerbated by home-based health hazards include injuries from falls, drowning deaths, severe asthmatic reactions and associated hospitalizations, lead poisoning, radon-induced lung cancer, and asbestos-related lung diseases., The Healthy Homes Initiative seeks to promote and mainstream healthy housing principles, assessments and interventions to ensure that Connecticut’s housing supply is dry, clean, pest-free, ventilated, safe, without contaminants, maintained and accessible. The number of children under six years old with high blood lead levels has been decreasing and was measured at 1,020 children in 2007. Those most susceptible to the dangers of lead poisoning are children under the age of six and low income households in homes that were built before 1949. The majority of childhood lead poisoning cases are located within the five largest cities in Connecticut (i.e., urban centers).
There are almost 10,000 households in Connecticut that have heightened risks.
The Town of Greenwich, from 1975 thru 2012, has received $34,109,421 in CDBG funds (including program income). If adopted by the RTM, the Proposed 2013 CDBG Annual One Year Action Plan, Program Year 2013 (January 1, 2013 – December 31, 2013) becomes “Final” and the document is then submitted to HUD for approval (within 45 days of submission). Under these Resolutions, the RTM is asked to hold a public hearing to consider and act on the Proposed 2013 CDBG Annual One-Year Action Plan, Program Year 2013 (January 1, 2013 – December 31, 2013).
That is $921,876.00 annually over 37 years. Why didn't any of that money go to eliminate the Lead, Mold, Asbestos, and PCB's in any of the low-moderate housing facilities?
Let's do some more math...... Let's say each lessee in Armstrong Court pays 600.00 in rent per month, now keep in mind there is a waiting list to get into public housing on average 400-600 people & families are on that list so there are not many vacancies. There are 144 families in Armstrong Court alone. 144 x 600 = 86,400.00 monthly income x 12 months in a year $1,036,800.00 annually Armstrong Court has been standing in it's current condition for 63 years. Bear in mind that some people that reside in 3 bedroom apartments pay 1500.00 +.
Where has that money gone over time? Not to renovations or quality of life that is for sure. WHY? That is the 34++++ Million dollar question. Who is responsible? How does this continue? There are far too many people turning a blind eye to the serious problem. Many know and are aware yet continue to allow this to happen.
http://www.greenwichct.org/upload/medialibrary/521/rtmExplanos10-12..pdf
More grants given to the housing authority and more to be added.
http://patch.com/connecticut/greenwich/greenwich-housing-authority-receives-69k-federal-grant
hud 2015 ​431,589.00​
https://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=FY2015CapFundAlloca.pdf
​hud Feb 2015 246,000.00​
http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/press/press_releases_media_advisories/2015/HUDNo_15-021
​March 2015​
http://naugatuckvalley.blogspot.com/2015/03/ansonia-housing-authority-gets-grant-to.html
627,500.00 Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grants $24,522,900 The ARRA funding will support energy audits and energy retrofits in residential and commercial buildings, the development and implementation of advanced building codes and inspections
(Why are they still not up to fire code standards and out of compliance for over the past 10 years? You really have to wonder where the money is going.
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590,879.00 Public Housing Capital Fund - formula awards $35,743,555 Description: the Public Housing Capital Fund provides funds for the capital and management activities of Public Housing Agencies, including modernization and development of public housing. The funds cannot be used for operations or rental assistance.
23,033.00 Edward Bryne Justice Assistance Grants
Description: the JAG Program allows states and local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime and improve the criminal justice system. The procedure for allocating JAG grants is based on a formula of population and violent crime statistics, in combination with a minimum allocation to ensure that each state and territory receives an appropriate share of funding.
251,004.00 (sidewalk)? Community Development Block Grants $11,082,393 Description: the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program enables local governments to undertake a wide range of activities intended to create suitable living environments, provide decent affordable housing and create economic opportunities, primarily for persons of low and moderate income. Specifics: State of Connecticut $3,616,527 (March 20th - Funding going to: Naugatuck, New Milford, East Haven, Torrington, Enfield, Killingly, Bloomfield, Plainfield, Wallingford, Ansonia, Shelton and Windsor to identify and purchase bank-owned properties. The local groups will upgrade the homes and make them available for use as affordable housing for low- and middle-income families.)
January 10, 2014
HUD AWARDS FUNDING TO CONNECTICUT PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITIES TO PROMOTE FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY
Funding helps gain critical employment/life skills to compete for decent jobs
BOSTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today awarded $300,000 in grants to help public housing residents in Connecticut gain access to education, job training and employment. This funding is part of $16.3 million awarded nationally. HUD's Public Housing Family Self-Sufficiency Program (PH-FSS) helps public housing authorities across the country to hire or retain more than 300 program coordinators who will work directly with families to connect them to the supportive services that meet their individual needs and to become gainfully employed. See local funding announced today.
$69,000
http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/states/connecticut/news/HUDNo.2014-01-10
ARRA Housing Fact Sheet The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA of 2009) became Public Law 111- 5 . ARRA includes $13.61 billion for projects and programs administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and nearly 75% of the funding was allocated to state and local recipients on February 25, 2009. Connecticut received $145,793,260 in formula grants under six programs: Public Housing Capital Fund, Tax Credit Assistance Program (TCAP), Homelessness Prevention Fund, Community Development Block Grant, Lead Hazard Reduction Grant and Section 8 Project Based Rental Assistance. The remaining 25% will be awarded on competitive basis in the coming months. Additional guidance on the implementation of all funds is routinely provided on HUD’s recovery website include address?.
Greenwich Housing Authority $590,879 (Well it's safe to say it wasn't used for lead hazard reduction in Armstrong Court)
http://www.ct.gov/dph/cwp/view.asp?a=3140&q=387524
​HUD 1994 ​Greenwich Housing Authority, PO Box 141, Greenwich,
CT 06836........................................... 2,933,000
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-1994-12-22/html/94-31417.htm