Mystic River Homes Gets $1.5 Grant For Upgrades

GROTON, CT—The Mystic River Homes senior housing is being upgraded with a $1.5 million grant announced by Gov. Ned Lamont Thursday.

Groton is one of 13 Connecticut municipalities getting a piece of the $13 million Community Development Block Grant Small Cities program award.

Lamont and Connecticut Department of Housing Commissioner Seila Mosquera-Bruno announced the monies will provide infrastructure upgrades "that will modernize and rehabilitate" housing for low and moderate-income people. In the case of Groton, the housing is also age restricted senior housing for individual 62 and over.

“These grants go a long way toward improving neighborhoods so that we can make our communities more attractive and encourage continued growth for the benefit of all of our residents,” Lamont said.

Awarded through the block grant program, which is administered by Department of Housing with funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, eligible projects must be in a municipality with fewer than 50,000 resident and have a focus on improving neighborhoods, eliminating blight, and attracting economic development.

Mystic River Homes apartments, which overlook the Mystic River, will receive capital improvements including Americans with Disabilities Act access improvements, elevator replacement and upgrades, new fire system pump, hot water system upgrades, new backup generator, interior upgrades of flooring, common area upgrades, unit upgrades, and new roadways and parking areas.

In 2017, the Mystic River Homes senior housing got a $800,000 grant for "exterior renovations will include solar panels for the community room, along with roof replacements and other energy upgrades. Interior renovations will include replacement of flooring, water heaters, kitchen cabinets and countertops," The Day reported at the time.

And in 2012, the elderly housing facility in Noank got another grant for $269,825.

“These awards will help to improve the lives of Connecticut residents,” Mosquera-Bruno said. “Whether it’s helping a family to complete essential renovations on their homes such as repairing a leaking roof, making a senior living facility ADA compliant, or improving the habitability of a domestic violence shelter – CDBG Small Cities funding is an important program. This federal funding is essential to low and moderate income residents and without these dollars, we would likely be unable to assist as many of our low and moderate income residents as they make these kinds of repairs.”