SENATE PRESIDENT LOONEY, SENATOR CABRERA WELCOME $8.25 MILLION IN STATE FUNDING FOR HAMDEN
HAMDEN – Senate President Martin Looney (D-New Haven) and state Senator Jorge Cabrera (D-Hamden) today welcomed a vote by the state Department of Economic and Community Development Community Investment Fund 2030 Board to provide $8.25 million to the City of Hamden to repair home foundations in the Newhall section of town and to plan a healing garden at DeNicola Park.
The funding recommendations will now be forwarded to the State Bond Commission, which is expected to approve them at its next meeting.
“There are terrible hardships being faced by homeowners in Newhall, and this state funding will help alleviate that. I want to thank the DECD for all of their work and support on this, as well as thank Senator Cabrera and local Hamden officials,” Sen. Looney said. “The funding for Eli’s Garden of Healing will help perfect their proposal, and then they can apply for other capital funds in the future.”
“It seems like the homeowners in Newhall cannot catch a break. Thankfully, this new funding and the comprehensive plan for various foundation repairs should make a lasting difference – and that’s what we want,” Sen. Cabrera said. “Eli’s Garden, it’s a well-known spot here in Hamden and they do a lot of good work. I think with some more planning we can turn this space into something really special, and that’s what this planning grant will help achieve.”
With its $8 million state grant, the City of Hamden plans to establish the Newhall Foundations Fund, a comprehensive foundation repair and community stabilization program addressing ongoing foundation issues affecting approximately 102 properties in the Newhall neighborhood.
The fund will address problems stemming from the consequences of historic soil contamination and remediation. The remediated soil, in combination with underlying soil conditions, has begun to cause structural and quality of life failures in the foundations of homes in remediated areas.
The Newhall Foundations Fund will implement a phased approach to foundation repairs, which will typically include foundation waterproofing and crack repair, structural reinforcement, wall and floor leveling, surface drainage repair, repair of settlement-related damage to interior finishes, and reconstruction of settled exterior elements. The fund will also provide for relocation of owners and residents whose homes are severely structurally compromised and warrant demolition, and repair of water intrusion and inadequate drainage resulting from remediation.
Eli’s Garden of Healing currently offers free community programs such as healing hikes, art events in the park, and service days with local students, serving hundreds of participants annually. The $250,000 grant will help the organization with its plan to transform a 1.7-acre overgrown parcel into a community healing space with an accessible forest garden dedicated to survivors of violence while also welcoming the broader public.
The project seeks to repurpose the former Winchester site’s historic test firing bed into a multi-use centerpiece for survivor meetings, recreation, and passive enjoyment, with ramps providing full accessibility and improving park access for nearby residents. The new space will expand offerings to include horticultural therapy, educational visits from local schools, and programming that highlights local wildlife, environmental history, and the legacy of gun manufacturing and environmental racism in Hamden, fostering healing, education, and community connection.
