Governor Dannel P. Malloy and state Department of Housing Commissioner Evonne M. Klein, today announced more than $31 million for public facilities, multi-family housing and infrastructure improvements for towns and cities affected by Superstorm Sandy in October, 2012.
“Given that extreme weather events like Sandy that were considered once in a century events have now become annual occurrences, it’s not a matter of if, but when that next storm will hit Connecticut’s shoreline communities,” Malloy said in a statement. “With these grants, we are not only helping these communities overcome the devastating impacts of one of the most severe storms in Connecticut’s history, but we’re also helping them to establish resiliency plans so they can be better prepared for future storms.”
Last year the state was received $71.8 million through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG–DR) program. The CDBG-DR funding was distributed by the state DOH to help the most impacted and distressed areas recover from Sandy. Malloy said that homeowners who have applied for funding through the CDBG-DR program are now in pre-construction.
“This funding announced today totals $31,139,954 and will help communities rebuild multifamily housing developments, make important infrastructure improvements, and restore public facilities damaged by severe storms that have ravaged our coastline in the last two years,” said Klein. “Just as important, however, is the funding that we’ve awarded to municipalities in the planning stages. These are the critical first steps to help these communities better understand their risks and implement mitigation measures that will avoid the calamitous effects of these storms.”
Here is the rest of the news release:
“Of the 332 homeowners deemed eligible for funding to repair damaged homes over 250 are working with architects and engineers to develop their construction documents. DOH expects construction to begin on several projects in July. The CDBG-DR award recipients are as follows:
· Branford, Creating Coastal Resilience, Planning Award — $150,000
This plan seeks to review creative ideas for coastal adaption to climate change; create community coastal resilience plans in Branford, Madison, and Milford with contributions from residents and businesses that can be implemented at the local level. The plans will include concepts, approaches, and tools for building resilience and specific adaptation actions for dealing with future sea level rise and coastal storms. The goal of the specific options for each town is to become more resilient and to provide considerations for using green technologies for the future.
· Bridgeport Housing Authority, Crescent Crossing, Housing Award — $6,975,000
This plan will create 93 new units of affordable housing contained in 6 buildings in Bridgeport. These units, constructed on a portion of the land of the former Father Panik Village, will consist of 37 one-bedroom units, 46 two-bedroom units, and 10 three-bedroom units. The proposed site is an underutilized approximately 4.3-acre lot that currently sits vacant in the city’s East Side. This development will embody all of the positive elements of smart growth and will help to ease the financial burdens on low- and moderate-income families.
· Bridgeport Community Renewal Associates, Marina Village Resiliency, Planning Award — $100,000
The Department of Housing looks forward to working with the Rebuild by Design Bridgeport Initiative and incorporating this initial Marina Village proposal for planning and infrastructure into the overall revitalization plan.
· Fairfield, Penfield Pavilion Repair, Public Facilities Award — $500,000
The project involves repairing Superstorm Sandy related damage to Penfield pavilion at the very popular Fairfield Beach between Long Island Sound and Fairfield Beach Road. The project will include repairs to key structural components, all utilities and raising the building above the 100-year base flood elevation.
· Fairfield, Pine Creek Culvert Upgrade, Infrastructure Award — $560,000
The proposed project includes upsizing the 48″ single culvert under Pine Creek dike to twin 60″ diameter NDPE pipes and sluice gates and adding a new 48″ HDPE pipe and a self-regulating tide gate for a total of 3 new culverts. The culverts drain a 310 acre area containing approximately 1,187 residential units.
· Fairfield, Water Pollution Control Facility Outfall Pipe, Infrastructure Award — $74,500
The pipe repair will prevent future leaks and will clear a flow restriction that was a result of damage caused by Superstorm Sandy. The selected repairs involve excavating to expose a damaged joint, and constructing a poured exterior concrete collar using bentonite water stops to structurally seal and immobilize the separated pipe joint.
· Shoreline Shellfish, LLC, Living & Artificial Reef: Creation & Restoration (Guilford), Planning Award — $415,000
This plan is to provide for the environmentally safe handling of sapropel (accumulated acidic marine compost) by designing, fabricating and testing of venture vacuum systems in Guilford. Geotextile tubes may be used to create manufactured yet natural barriers making it possible to establish oyster reefs that will cut down on wave action created during hurricanes and large storms and increase shoreline resiliency.
· Milford, Morningside Revetment Reconstruction, Infrastructure Award — $780,480
The revetment at 167 Morningside Drive protects both private residential properties and municipal infrastructure, including a pump station. The project adds load erosion control structure to a site that does not currently have flood protection and is experiencing an ongoing erosion problem.
· Milford, Gulf Beach Breakwater Reconstruction, Public Facilities Award — $503,500
The planned project involves constructing approximately a 210-foot breakwater made up of stone and rubble. The breakwater will diminish wave energy even when overtopped by extreme weather conditions.
· New Haven, Brewery Square Bulkhead Rehabilitation, Infrastructure Award — $940,047
The Brewery Square Bulkhead rehabilitation infrastructure project aims to rebuild the 300 feet of bulkhead and sidewalk destroyed by Superstorm Sandy. The project will provide protection to adjoining park land and a parking lot used by residents of the adjacent Brewery Square Condominium Complex; prevent future erosion into the Ferry Street Drawbridge Channel; and protect the very busy river channel.
· New Haven, East Shore Erosion Control, Infrastructure Award — $952,581
The East Shore Erosion Control Protection Project aims to provide protection to 10 homes and the low-lying residential area across Townsend Avenue, a state-owned roadway, by constructing a seawall to protect an area damaged by both Hurricane Irene and Sandy.
· New Haven, Bulkhead Engineering and Design, Planning Award — $342,000
The goal of this study is to complete the design and permitting for the River Street Bulkhead. Flooding in this area has made it impassable during storms and surges. The plan is to create a pedestrian riverfront walkway that will also provide protection to the inland industrial, commercial and residential areas; stabilize the shoreline; and reduce the possibility of contaminants being washed into the Quinnipiac River and Long Island Sound.
· New Haven, Hill Neighborhood & Union Ave. Drainage Improvements, Planning Award — $500,000
This project will study the feasibility of the construction of a new outlet, pump station and/or alternative system improvements to supplement existing outfalls and to increase protection for storm events. The study will include consideration of the development of an effective low-impact solution. The grant will provide for consideration of a series of options/alternatives, engineering and construction costs; advantages and disadvantages and identify next steps for permitting and construction in an area that experiences frequent flooding by the train station and a nearby public housing development.
· New Haven, Long Wharf Flood Protection, Planning Award — $400,000
This grant will provide for planning, designing and permitting for flood mitigation and shoreline protection measures for the areas northwest of Long Wharf Drive to Union Avenue, where there is frequent flooding due to openings connecting Long Wharf Drive to Canal Dock Drive.
· New Haven, Mill River Shoreline Analysis/Coastal Zone Management, Planning Award — $191,250
This study will make it possible to analyze three potential flood mitigation strategies and decide which will be the most effective. The study will collect and analyze data; prepare a cost/benefit analysis and select an implementation strategy for an area where New Haven anticipates expanding its commercial and industrial base and creating a stronger connection between the Fair Haven, Wooster Square and Jocelyn Square neighborhoods.
· New London, Bank Street Drainage Improvement, Planning Award — $200,000
The goal of the work under this planning grant will be to evaluate the Bank Street drainage system, verify the cause of the flooding and to design improvements. Flooding damages property and affects operation of the city’s Fire Department Headquarters and makes it difficult to access Lawrence and Memorial Hospital.
· Norwalk Housing Authority, Washington Village Phase 1, Housing Award — $9,855,596
The project is the initial phase of a larger multi-phase redevelopment effort that will replace the oldest public housing in the state with a new 273-unit, mixed-income community. Phase one of the redevelopment of Washington Village will reclaim two vacant and city-owned brownfield sites in Norwalk for the construction of 80 residential units. The project will consist of two residential buildings with 58 affordable and 22-market rate units.
· Stamford Housing Authority, Summer Place, Housing Award — $6,400,000
Summer Place will replace 48 units of public housing units. The brand new 5 story building located outside of the flood zone will contain 40 one bedroom apartments and 8 studios. Thirty two units will be set aside for tenants with incomes at or below 50% of area median income (AMI) and sixteen units will be for tenants at or below 80% of AMI.
· Stratford, Coastal Resiliency Plan, Planning Award — $100,000
This coastal resiliency study will examine an area that roughly consists of Special Flood Hazard Areas south and east of Stratford and Ferry Boulevard but also extends northward along the Housatonic River to Sikorsky Airport.
· West Haven, Beach Street & 1st Avenue Reconstruction, Infrastructure Award — $1,200,000
The Beach Street and First Avenue work involves raising this critical roadway linking parts of West Haven that were submersed by five feet of water during Sandy. This area includes vital connections to the waste water treatment facility; access for police and fire departments; and is the main evacuation route for this section of town.
For more details on the CDBG-DR program and additional information on resources available for residents, businesses and municipalities following natural disasters and other emergencies, visit the state’s official CT Recovers website at http://ctrecovers.ct.gov.”