Flood-Impacted Hartford Residents Urged to Apply for Relief Benefits by Dec. 2

By Hugh McQuaid

November 14 @ 9:30 am

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Hartford residents impacted by flooding have until Dec. 2 to apply for benefits under the Hartford Flood Relief and Compensation Program, Comptroller Sean Scanlon announced in a Tuesday press release.

The program was created last year to assist Hartford homeowners and businesses whose property had been damaged by severe flooding in the city’s North End. The initiative has provided more than $6 million to help hundreds of applicants recover from flooding damage.

The deadline comes as the federal funding that supports the program is set to expire. Meanwhile, applications have slowed, according to the Connecticut Mirror. In a release, Scanlon said his office hoped to get an estimation of the remaining demand before federal dollars ran out at the end of this year.

“The Hartford Flood Relief and Compensation Program helped keep businesses open, allowed families to stay in their homes, and compensated people for irreplaceable items lost in floods,” Scanlon said. “If you or your business have experienced damage as a result of flooding, we encourage you to apply before the December 2nd deadline.”

Originally funded at $5 million, the relief fund was established and later expanded through advocacy by North End residents and support from Hartford-area legislators like Sen. Doug McCrory, D-Hartford.

McCrory urged impacted residents to apply for benefits before next month’s deadline.

“Our community fought hard for this relief because we know firsthand how devastating flooding in the North End has been,” McCrory said. “This program has already helped many families and businesses get back on their feet, but time is running out. So, if your property has been damaged by flooding don’t wait — apply before the December deadline to make sure you get the support you need. We don’t want to see anyone left behind.”

Residents seeking to apply for benefits can visit the comptroller’s website at osc.ct.gov/HartfordFlood or the Blue Hills Civic Association on Albany Avenue to fill out an application.

Since it launched last September, the HFCP has dispersed more than $6.6 million in support to nearly 450 residents with an average benefit of around $13,000, according to the state comptroller.

HFCP Administrator Dr. Gary Rhule said residents have reported “overwhelmingly positive” feedback about their experiences.

“This program has been successful in helping the residents and non-resident businesses of Hartford affected by flooding,” Rhule said.

DOT Completes Waterbury Mixmaster Improvements

By Joe O’Leary

November 13 @ 9:30 am

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After six years and extensive work in the area, a project to rehabilitate and extend the life of Waterbury’s Mixmaster was completed as of Oct. 31, according to the state Department of Transportation.
The $223 million project, which began in 2018 with an update of a 50-year-old bridge, has since involved extensive repairs and rehabilitation of the Route 8/I-84 exchange that had previously dogged commuters for decades. The interchange now offers the city an interchange that has caught up to the demands of traffic for the next quarter-century.

The Mixmaster project repaired more than 2.77 miles of road and included work on 10 separate bridges in order to meet interchange’s long-term needs.

In a press release, DOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto said the agency and its contractors overcame several unforeseen obstacles before completing the multi-year initiative.

“Now that the Mixmaster Rehabilitation Project has been successfully completed, we look forward to continuing engaging the community and stakeholders with our New Mix Program, as we plan for the long-term future of the interchange,” Eucalitto said.

While the agency said the Mixmaster’s lifespan should extend to the middle of this century, its New Mix Program will see continuous consideration of long-term rehabilitation and replacement options to improve its safety and functionality.

Now traversed by up to 190,000 vehicles daily, the Mixmaster was not designed to handle such traffic when it was first constructed in the 1960s. Growing populations and increased highway use have heightened pressure from I-84 and Route 8 over the ensuing decades.

Its condition degraded as traffic increased to the point that the Department of Transportation listed the Mixmaster as “dangerous” in 2005, with substandard ramps and rapidly changing speed limits causing an average of 1.4 crashes per day.

The agency broadened the scope of construction after workers approached and studied the area and concluded that more work was necessary. According to the DOT, the project’s costs swelled to account for repairs to six of 11 ramps and four bridges, complete deck replacement on two bridges and facelifts, localized repairs and partial and full deck repairs for others.

Traffic in the area is now more streamlined than six years ago, when the Mixmaster was known to snarl traffic and cause serious backups. However, even as the project reaches fruition, the New Mix looms over the future, as the Mixmaster will reach the end of its serviceable lifespan in 2045. Studies and discussions over its replacement are already underway, according to the DOT.

The agency and an infrastructure design firm have begun work on the project and brainstormed as many as two dozen possibilities for a replacement. The work has focused on reconnecting neighborhoods and supporting Waterbury residents while ensuring the up-to-225,000 vehicles traveling through daily by 2045 can get from point A to point B without issue.

State Parks to Receive Infrastructure Upgrades and Repairs

By Michelle Rappaport

November 12 @ 11:00 am

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New improvements will soon be made across the Connecticut State Parks System through a $30 million allocation by the State Bond Commission, which included $3 million to make repairs at three state parks damaged by severe flooding on Aug. 18.

The funding will support the Restore CT State Parks Initiative, which aims to take care of outstanding repairs that are needed across the state’s 110 parks and 32 forests.

Part of this $30 million investment will help fix damage done at Larkin Trail State Park in Middlebury, Naugatuck, Oxford, and Southbury; Kettletown State Park in Southbury; and Southford Falls State Park in Southbury where serious flooding took place in August. The funding will help stabilize affected areas to prevent future damage and address critical public safety concerns.

In a press release announcing the funding, Gov. Ned Lamont said state parks were a big part of Connecticut’s quality of life.

“These destinations are also well-loved, welcoming an estimated 17 million visitors annually – that’s more than four times the population of Connecticut,” Lamont said. “We’re restoring our parks to ensure that residents and visitors now and into the future can have a wonderful outdoor recreation experience in Connecticut.”

Under the Restore CT State Parks initiative, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has worked to advance projects across the state to improve ADA access, repair historic and cultural infrastructure, such as Gillette Castle, Fort Trumbull, and Heublein Tower; and other maintenance issues such as paving, bathhouse and utility repairs.

DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes thanked both the governor and the state legislature for their commitment to helping the agency address a backlog of repairs and refurbishments to Connecticut’s park system.

“From brand-new windows in the Heublein Tower, to terrace reconstruction at Gillette Castle, to a new boardwalk at Rocky Neck, and countless more projects, we’re delivering an improved parks experience for current and future visitors,” Dykes said.

Connecticut Builds on Benefits for Military Veterans

By Hugh McQuaid

November 11 @ 5:00 am

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Seeking to give back to those who served in the United States military, Connecticut policymakers enacted several new laws this year aimed at improving the lives of veterans, including bills to streamline licensing processes and expand access to veteran plates.

One bill, which passed unanimously through the Senate and House this year, will waive state requirements for obtaining a “Q” driver’s license endorsement necessary to operate fire apparatus so long as the veteran received applicable training in the military.

This policy is designed to help veterans and servicemembers find work or service opportunities at local fire departments, while aiding those agencies in filling critical staffing shortages.

Meanwhile, another new law will help military families by entering Connecticut into the Social Work Licensure Compact, which creates an avenue for social workers to practice in participating states. This change will help members or their spouses, who often face licensure obstacles as they move from state-to-state.

Department of Defense New England Region Liaison Melissa Willette testified in support of the law when it was raised for a public hearing earlier this year. Willette said the sacrifices of military spouses often go unnoticed.

“Most of our military families rely on two incomes to meet their financial needs, and many military spouses hold professional licenses,” she said. “These professionals are disproportionately affected by state-specific licensure requirements that can cause delays and gaps in employment, especially when they are forced to relocate every few years as part of their family’s service obligation.”

Another new law will expand access to veterans’ specialty license plates and licenses to veterans of the National Guard who do not qualify for federal benefits.

These new policies and others like them complement existing Connecticut veteran benefits like a tuition waiver at public colleges and universities and a basic $1,000 property tax exemption for certain honorably discharged veterans.

Connecticut Housing Department Highlights Investments in Residents

By Joe O’Leary

November 8 @ 5:00 am

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New data released by Connecticut’s Department of Housing highlighted the number of individuals and families aided by the agency every year through initiatives to help people exit homelessness, avoid housing insecurity or create new homes to support Connecticut’s population.

In updates on the DOH’s efforts to prevent homelessness from 2023 to 2024, the department found that it helped more than 25,000 individuals and families with approximately $200 million in resources each year. Of those people, more than 14,000 received monthly rent assistance, with programs aiding them including housing vouchers and rental assistance through UniteCT.

Another 11,000 of those residents received emergency support when they experienced housing insecurity or homelessness. More than 6,400 people utilized emergency shelters across the state, but the DOH’s efforts in aiding them went further – more than 1,300 households exited homelessness in the last year by utilizing resources to find housing.

Nearly 1,000 more diverted from homelessness over the same period. More than 950 people who were formerly homeless now reside in supportive housing, and another 7,000 people received eviction protection from UniteCT in 2023 and 2024.

Of the people who received emergency support, more than 1,000 benefited from aid through the Youth Homelessness Project, which specifically targets younger residents from ages 18-24 to protect them from falling into homelessness.

The agency continues to grapple with ongoing challenges related to housing. There were about 3,410 reported individuals in Connecticut who were homeless this year, according to the 2024 Connecticut Point-In-Time count. That figure climbed more than 10% from 2023 to 2024.

Legislative leaders have committed to addressing the rise in unsheltered residents. In February, Sen. Saud Anwar, D-South Windsor, told the Connecticut Mirror that the issue was one that a state like Connecticut could fix.

“This is something that a state like us should have fixed many years ago,” Anwar said. “There are structural issues that can solve this, that can help take care of and prevent homelessness in a very timely fashion.”

One such strategy involves creating more housing units to reduce tightness in the market and reduce prices, making it more affordable to access housing itself. The Department of Housing is actively working to develop and preserve housing across the state.

Over the last two years, that effort has included $450 million in investments for high quality affordable units, $200 million in new gap financing for middle-income development and $150 million through the “Time To Own” first-time ownership support program. The latter initiative has helped nearly 5,000 first-time homebuyers access an average of $31,000 for down payments.

The Department of Housing has also spurred new development from 2019-2024, with more than 13,000 units completed in that time – the result of $3 billion in development, including $616 million in department resources and $2.4 billion in other public/private investment. Another 6,000+ units were under or close to construction, with another $2.2+ billion invested between the DOH and other public and private investment.