[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6236246,"mediaKeyId","3374814-cfcdbda17261fe905be7c6ee7649166d","parentId",3374814,"title","Town moves forward on Parkview and Greenfield homeownership projects; flood elevation and demolition timing discussed","audioSeconds",246,"startMs",3740000,"endMs",3986000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3374814-cfcdbda17261fe905be7c6ee7649166d&start=3740&end=3986","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3374814-cfcdbda17261fe905be7c6ee7649166d/thumbnail_3740000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6236246/Connecticut/Town-moves-forward-on-Parkview-and-Greenfield-homeownership-projects-flood-elevation-and-demolition-timing-discussed","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6236246-e9f0738dfa19ead057267d8bddf3d939/orig.mp4?Expires=1770439934&Signature=QQCl6EjZ5~x9V6BBcu0QYF7pbvKrpW40JwE7IRqoDd284J3yXFG0-hG24o1-ERQQXBdq~kfbyOUSXsrj0lMmciQAviZ~8ZBqSJ71KyitMiki3TZQgJuuDL5xqdgRF-1pCZmWNPV-DZJpYwQKz4M8pKmHByRXRye5COTVCPSlsJrwxbb~6fbO3KQuhHPM8PdC1kSx1gkzKrOeUS6wl~aLj~JhjgGAnb0MaQ3nYPo37YRzvsCEHxXMFQTSWZsj5kkk6rhl5avpIk1fkldIsRkH0ahGlRfmdzovHNNNODXTCmWzIt61UIkLSIPAeXyiaNa1dUOFUlKX-UWIf8CrmhlXCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town Council of Fairfield, CT","date","2025-05-16T20:19:44Z","article","Mark Barnhart updated the committee on several municipal homeownership projects at the May 14 meeting, emphasizing floodplain constraints and timing.

The nut graf: Fairfield is proceeding with redevelopment and preservation projects but must reconcile flood-elevation rules, environmental-agency guidance and demolition timelines; staff reported progress on approvals and short-term actions to keep projects on schedule.

Barnhart said the town is working with Habitat for Humanity on Parkview Commons, focusing first on two vacant parcels at 385 and 409 Quincy Street. He said the parcels sit in a flood zone and the town and Habitat met with the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Connecticut Department of Housing to balance competing goals: preserving and creating affordable homeownership units while avoiding intensifying vulnerable land uses in flood zones. Barnhart said DEEP did not view the modest increase to duplexes as a major intensification and that the departments had not identified deal-stoppers.

The town intends to pursue site-clearance work this summer, possibly funded by Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money, and to file a coastal area management (CAM) application within 60–90 days to seek required approvals. Barnhart said the plan would be to start construction in the fall and that construction would likely take about two years.

On Greenfield Street, Barnhart said two duplexes at 244 Greenfield are nearing completion and the town recently acquired the adjoining parcel at 254 Greenfield with the intent to add two more duplexes. He noted that the house on 254 was built in 1909 and carries a 60-day demolition hold, delaying award of the demolition contract until the hold expires.

Ending: Committee members heard project timelines and regulatory considerations. No new town funding decisions were made at the meeting; staff will proceed with site clearance, permitting and demolition steps and return to the committee (and other boards) as required.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Fairfield 05/14/25 Affordable Housing Committee","oneSentenceSummary","Town staff told the Affordable Housing Committee on May 14 that Parkview Commons redevelopment and Greenfield Street duplex projects are moving ahead, with DEEP and state housing agency input on flood-elevation work and a 60-day demolition hold delaying one lot.","taxTitle","Fairfield, Fairfield, Connecticut","taxId",57943,"location","Connecticut","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6236251,"Fairfield project at 980 High Street wins 9% tax credits; committee praise, public raises wetland and transparency concerns",166,4179000,4345000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3374814-cfcdbda17261fe905be7c6ee7649166d&start=4179&end=4345","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3374814-cfcdbda17261fe905be7c6ee7649166d/thumbnail_4179000.jpg","/articles/6236251/Connecticut/Fairfield-project-at-980-High-Street-wins-9-tax-credits-committee-praise-public-raises-wetland-and-transparency-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6236251-cf85a3d25916403c32a88a0f40fc3092/orig.mp4?Expires=1770439934&Signature=HERzUrxaxKL8m9aPZbeoxXedHk7nPl-HZV2ZfX20-F2L8E2P4qH-96J56Y9ZFwm9Ql-o1qVCq4NPwHlJrqeZwCghI8wPgab61UHHmclKMyVfQ6WGIRx8TdppiD0P14Kt7M8uKeBR6JLObYeGCLn24nYCnTaWpKgre3fq3EibHMWjjLFA1eLkmoAhHvq5YEsqMHon2Z4T69yJYLSRNZtxfv2QtNfHgomJyf6hjV3LITj7YulT9XLZA-MZXqSB70ETLjz2n7U3RTWIg9U6J~XX5-4Y0pcRQPDa9q2KkFyU~dyk07MtSACandWC8AWUmrR5GXeEyxcBTJs04-vRIUdZ~A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Carol Martin, representing Fairfield Housing interests, told the Affordable Housing Committee on May 14 that the Fairfield nonprofit’s 980 High Street application received an award of 9% low-income housing tax credits from the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA). The award, Martin said, was the last funded project in a competitive round and included a forward commitment of an additional $4.5 million for 2026 by CHFA staff and board.

The nut graf: The CHFA 9% award is a major financing step for 980 High Street, which the developer and nonprofit say will deliver 40 affordable rental units, wheelchair-accessible ground-floor units and housing set aside for adults with developmental disabilities. Several members of the public asked the committee to withhold or scrutinize any town funding until outstanding environmental and transparency questions are resolved.

Martin said the project will include 40 units: 18 one-bedroom, 16 two-bedroom and 6 three-bedroom units. She told the committee 10 units will be reserved for adults with developmental disabilities and that income targeting spans from 30% to 80% of area median income, with specific allocations including 10 units at 30% AMI and additional units at higher tiers.

Martin thanked the committee for a previously issued soft support letter — she said the committee’s soft commitment of $570,000 scored points in the CHFA application and helped secure the award. She said the project’s first-floor units will be wheelchair accessible and that six three-bedroom units will expand options for families on existing wait lists.

Public comment at the meeting raised two main concerns. First, a speaker who identified herself as a wetlands advocate noted that the town had twice denied wetlands permits for the site and that an appeal had produced differing outcomes; she urged the committee and town to avoid funding projects the town had previously found would harm wetlands. Second, a commenter requested disclosure and investigation of potential conflicts of interest associated with project financing and with Carol Martin’s financial relationships: he said records about loans and corporate relationships were not publicly available and asked the committee to require full transparency before committing public housing trust funds.

The committee clarified that any formal allocation from the town housing trust fund would require a future recommendation from this committee and final approval by the Board of Selectmen; Martin said no formal request was pending. Members said they would consider public comments when and if a funding request reached the committee.

Ending: The CHFA award advances project financing, but the committee took no funding action at the meeting. Committee members and members of the public asked for additional information — particularly wetland-permit history and clarity on the nonprofit’s financing relationships — before the town commits local funds.","Carol Martin told the Fairfield Affordable Housing Committee on May 14 that CHFA awarded 9% low-income housing tax credits to the nonprofit’s 980 High Street project, which she said will deliver 40 affordable units including housing for adults with developmental disabilities.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6236256,"State housing agency outlines free municipal technical-assistance program for Fairfield",2939,106000,3045000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3374814-cfcdbda17261fe905be7c6ee7649166d&start=106&end=3045","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3374814-cfcdbda17261fe905be7c6ee7649166d/thumbnail_106000.jpg","/articles/6236256/Connecticut/State-housing-agency-outlines-free-municipal-technical-assistance-program-for-Fairfield","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6236256-9dad8e7a62a396376eab38d738398f18/orig.mp4?Expires=1770439934&Signature=G7D2Dt75yNFxlGX8erqKla9hz0ITMzB0wp3RvC2fDcMdfyBE480BHMhX7O21LShl~QFvzD3sntn2RlPBNdWLA5YnM3NAPzFBhZ1fW25LS71jCT9VZP3MFENTM5R50rz0p20fL5D1cKjD-6olkU89E8JU3aDoDxQu57pkoV6KiqYljbv77ytCwsDEtuYhqWcnu16tb9OFd5j6TTHKyi4AjXyjiEvbCHcQy2ctRBx~0gmO2dMTcw7z9TE4VgJFea5JGPZk6GFEyXfelC7kCOfrQDV7WXWShs6iXIl-CVqOKILSNT~YQWPDog3D~M0P9fDgitnIEOIiNcnbkuoM131miA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ben Lovejoy, a project manager with the Connecticut Department of Housing, told the Fairfield Affordable Housing Committee on May 14 that the department operates a municipal technical-assistance program designed to help towns implement affordable-housing plans and access state resources.

The program is a three-year pilot that Lovejoy said is voluntary and free to municipalities. \"Participation in it ... is completely voluntary, and it's free,\" he told the committee, adding that the program is intended for communities that explicitly invite state support.

The nut graf: The Department of Housing's program offers a single point of contact to review local plans, identify funding windows, coordinate with state programs and connect municipalities to developers and other agencies — services the department says many towns lack the staff capacity to provide.

Lovejoy described how the program works: he meets with municipal leadership and planning staff after receiving a formal request (he requires sign-off from a town CEO or planning director), reviews local plans and helps identify concrete next steps. He told the committee the program can provide staff training, targeted research, grant coordination, referrals to developers, predevelopment financing options and links to state funding programs, but it does not replace local staff or override local control.

Mark Barnhart, director of economic development and staff to the committee, told members that Fairfield has worked with Department of Housing staff informally and could pursue a deeper, formal engagement if the town wants further, project-specific assistance.

Lovejoy outlined examples the program supports: community land trust formation and expansion (he cited Connecticut General Statutes chapter 828a in that context), project-specific predevelopment financing and referrals to the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit application window and other agency programs. He said the department organizes a twice-yearly developer engagement process (DEP) to screen projects and connect them to financing channels such as CHFA and other financing vehicles.

Committee discussion focused on fit and next steps. Members said Fairfield already has capable planning staff but agreed the program could help with capacity gaps and tasks that require sustained interagency coordination.

Ending: The committee did not vote to enroll Fairfield in the program; members were asked to circulate information to town officials and to consider referring particular projects or questions to Lovejoy. Lovejoy provided contact information and asked municipalities to reach out when they are ready to schedule preliminary meetings.","A Connecticut Department of Housing project manager described a three-year, voluntary technical-assistance program that helps municipalities implement affordable-housing plans, connect with developers and pursue grants. The committee was encouraged to refer Fairfield staff to the program; no formal town commitment was made.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Town moves forward on Parkview and Greenfield homeownership projects; flood elevation and demolition timing discussed

Fairfield project at 980 High Street wins 9% tax credits; committee praise, public raises wetland and transparency concerns

State housing agency outlines free municipal technical-assistance program for Fairfield