June 5, 2024 - Stafford, CT
According to Stafford’s Housing Authority's website, Avery Park is “one of the largest and most comprehensive senior housing communities in the state.” However, the name is a bit misleading because today, Avery Park also encompasses both phases of Woodland Springs, the housing complex behind Big Y.
The first phase of Woodland Springs is complete, and the second is under construction. Executive Director Ann Marie Perrone says the waiting list for these affordable housing units is four years long. There are hardly ever vacancies, and the only turnover the housing complex experiences is as part of the homeless veteran program, which houses formerly homeless veterans while they work through the state program and eventually graduate to other housing.
However, over on West Street, Avery Park is sitting partially vacant. The 110 units at 85 and 91 West Street were built in the 1960s and 1970s. They are not ADA accessible and many of them are too small to be made wheelchair accessible. Additionally, many of them have mold problems. As Baby Boomers age, they need housing, increasing the demand for affordable housing for seniors. While 91 West Street still houses people, 85 West Street does not due to sewer loss and mold issues. Once 85 West Street is revitalized, the people living at 91 can move.
The plan calls for 50 units, including two two-bedroom units, as well as shared spaces for the tenants. The site plan below provides more details.
Perrone was not at the meeting to ask for money. Instead, she is looking for support from the town because, as she put it, “When the town talks, the state listens.” She says the programs and building are funded through grants and partnering with companies looking to get tax credits by building affordable housing. Large corporations often put millions of dollars into building affordable housing in exchange for tax credits. (This kind of program is gaining momentum at the state level to also increase housing options for the workforce.)
The town also partners with the Housing Authority to apply for grants. Some grants, like STEAP or CDBG, are eligible for the town, but the housing authority is not, so the two entities partner to apply for opportunities. STEAP grants will likely go toward paving projects for the foreseeable future, but the town can apply for multiple CDBG grants.
It’s also worth noting that Avery Park was included in the application for the most recent brownfields grant, which garnered the town $500,000 for assessment. While no action was really needed, the presentation was mostly informational, First Selectman Bill Morrison agreed to participate in a meeting with the state’s Department of Housing.