Town considers aid for Wangum Village upgrades

NORTH CANAAN — Nothing but support was expressed for planned upgrades to the Wangum Village housing complex during an April 20 public hearing at Town Hall. The subject of the hearing was an application for a $700,000 grant from the state Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD).The positive response to the plan wasn’t completely surprising, since pretty much everyone in attendance was either representing the town or Wangum Village and the North Canaan Housing Authority, or is a resident of the complex. About 12 residents attended. Several spoke in support, urged planners to read the letters they had written and asked about a timeframe — evidently concerned the grant process could turn this into a lengthy project. Grant consultant Peter Testa and First Selectman Douglas Humes explained one requirement of the grant is to complete the work within two years of approval by the DECD. Twelve to 18 months was cited as a reasonable expectation. The application deadline is June 3. An answer is expected by October.The $700,000 is the maximum that can be sought for public housing modernization projects in the current Community Development Block Grant Program. Wangum Village is subsidized by the federal Housing and Urban Development agency for seniors and the disabled. Rent is income-based. Operating costs come from rental income. The complex of 40 one- and two-bedroom apartments was completed in 1975. Improvements over the years have met requirements, but there is always more that can be done.The approach here is to address a prioritized list of needs, and complete other work if there is money left over. At the top of the list are four projects. They include an expansion to the community room and upgrades to the kitchen and bathrooms in that building.“Currently, the [legal] occupancy of that room is less than the number of people who live at Wangum Village,” Testa said. But it’s not just about meals and social gatherings. The building is also a “place of refuge,” where residents could find shelter in the event of a power outage or emergency.ADA modificationsTwo of the apartments will be made handicapped accessible, with kitchen and bath modifications, and changes to things such as entrances and doorknobs. The modifications will bring Wangum Village into compliance with federal Americans with Disabilities Act requirements that call for at least 5 percent of the facility to have handicapped-accessible units.The fire alarm system will be upgraded to a fully monitored one that includes call-for-aid. The existing system has flashing lights and alarms that sound on the outside of a unit when smoke is detected.“There is no outside monitoring,” Testa said. “Right now, if there is a problem in your unit, you have to hope to God a neighbor comes and checks on you.”The computer-monitored system will tell emergency responders exactly what unit they need to go to, potentially reducing response time.Paving and exterior lighting will also be addressed. The auxiliary parking lot will be paved for the first time, and parking spaces marked. The driveway and other parking areas will be resurfaced. Lighting will be enhanced to increase overall illumination and safety.After the April 20 hearing, Wangum Village Executive Director Ashleigh Bergenty told The Lakeville Journal the grant is vital to doing almost any improvement work. There is no funding from the town. Rent is charged depending on income, starting at $115 per month for a single unit and $125 for two people. “We have a few that pay that base amount,” Bergenty said. “We average about $200 per unit. It just covers basic maintenance and operating costs.”Should there be a surplus of grant money to address other improvements, it will likely go toward a list of small items residents have requested. They include replacing the original bath and kitchen exhaust fans and energy-efficiency upgrades to reduce utility costs, such as new water heaters.A requirement for the hearing was to review past DECD-funded projects in North Canaan. They include the expansion and elevator at the Douglas Library, the Streetscape project, the municipal parking lot off Railroad Street and the facade improvement loan program.