Letter to the Editor:
Greenwich Communities (GC) is the majority provider of affordable and low-income housing in the town of Greenwich. Our residents are most likely the base population that most non-profits applying for the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funded Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) utilizes in justifying their financial assistance request. Therefore, we find it difficult to understand how the primary group, Greenwich Communities LowIncome Residents’ request for financial assistance goes unfulfilled and challenged. We are the HUD target population! Providing 1248 units of housing for 2500 people. Greenwich Communities is recognized as an excellently operated housing provider by investors, state, and federal regulators and throughout the affordable housing industry.
Let us clarify and correct recent statements made by several people in their efforts to overturn the First Selectman’s executive decision to award $50,000 to GC. As a fact the $50,000 was not taken from GC it was taken away from the 110 low-income families residing at Wilbur Peck. The following statements made by these individuals during the recent RTM meeting are false and misleading.
The following clarifications are necessary.
Greenwich Communities needs to open their books.
Our books are open and can be found on our website. GC has 7 annual independent audits of our various programs that are filed with the Federal and State Governments, Lenders, Investors and Regulators. Was this question asked of other applicants? Or is it an obvious attempt to infer some nefarious intent?
GC has been the largest recipient of CDBG funding since 1997, receiving $4.2 million as intended by HUD, as we serve Greenwich’s low-income community. These funds were mostly received prior to 2016. Under the current leadership of CDBG, GC has been denied funding for two of the past three years and has received hostile treatment when making our presentation to the CDBG committee from its leadership, which clearly has influenced the committee. Prior CDBG presentation meetings are recorded and available for review showing this hostility.
From 2016-2020 Greenwich Communities received $0 CDGB funding causing delays to the much-needed window replacement at Agnes Morley.
2024 – Requested: $200,000 – Committee Recommended: $0, Selectman Redirect: $48,000. Project Agnes Morley Window Replacement costs $3 million.
2025 – Requested: $171,900 – Committee Recommended: $0, Wilbur Peck – Floor and stair repair and painting.
Greenwich Communities Supports its Residents
Last year a high school resident wrote a letter to the RTM complaining about the conditions in which she lived. The RTM correctly took the letter seriously. However, no one inquired of GC about any actions that had been taken, what was known about the situation or what specific actions had been taken to address the issues. Instead, public blame was cast against GC as the cause of the family’s living conditions. Upon visiting the unit, the living conditions were less than acceptable and below the standards that we allow or accept as governed by the lease agreement across all our properties. The necessary actions were taken to hold the parent tenant accountable and to provide the necessary assistance to improve the conditions. Finding that the issues were mostly tenant caused and documented with photos, we responded to the RTM and others with our findings. This has been characterized as “blaming the tenant” – which it was not. Advocates looking to place blame on GC notified HUD and State Government, which both found the GC response was appropriate, necessary, and required by regulation. No apologies or clarification have been issued to clarify the situation and alleviate the incorrect public blame against GC.
The Town of Greenwich Does Not Own the Land
The Town of Greenwich does not own the land under any public housing property owned and managed by Greenwich Communities. The town of Greenwich does own the land for Parsonage Cottage, Town Hall Annex and McKinney Terrace, which are managed under a long-term lease. These properties are not the subject of the CDBG funding request.
We appreciate the work of all past and present CDBG advisory committees, but the mission and intent of HUD’s CDBG funding should not neglect the most vulnerable amongst us. Why are repairs to buildings that houses our seniors and low-income families, providing safety and comfort, deemed less important than providing outdoor parks and recreation to a limited community of families and pets? The CDBG committee is no longer an Advisory Committee, it is the decider!
Sincerely,
Sam Romeo, Chairman Greenwich Communities
Anthony L. Johnson, Executive Director
