Category: News

North Hartford residents say EPA left them high and dry

Residents of North Hartford have expressed outrage and disappointment regarding the cancelation of the planned January 17 tour by representatives of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) out of Boston. The tour was planned in an effort for EPA representatives to meet with residents and review their ongoing claims of flooding and sewage backups in the City.

North Hartford’s residents had contacted the EPA due to ongoing incidences of flooding and sewage backups and also to voice their concerns that the lack of remedial action is linked to their location in the City.  They expressed their feeling of being unheard by several elected officials and the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC).

Reports indicate that community activist Bridgitte Prince was informed in writing that an EPA representative would meet with residents on January 17, but she was later told that the meeting was canceled. Prince stated that she understands the reason given for the cancellation, that the EPA investigators did not have the authority to speak with the media, but she does not understand why they would disrespect the flooding victims by canceling the meeting.

Prince further stated her opinion that the EPA representatives could have attended the meeting, sat in silence, and listened to the critical testimonies that would have helped the representatives to make an unbiased conclusion. Prince indicated that the motive for the cancelation is questionable because the EPA representatives did not cancel their meetings with the MDC.  She said that the EPA investigator wanted to meet with her on a one-on-one basis, but she refused because she wanted to maintain transparency in the process.

Prince expressed her feeling that because of her race, she was denied her Title VI rights of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, however, she also said that she received a call from an EPA representative in Washington confirming that they had received her complaint against the City of Hartford, MDC, and the EPA investigator with whom she [Prince] was in contact.

The Hartford Courant reports that Mikayla Rumph from the U.S. EPA Office of Public Affairs for the New England Region confirmed that the January 17 meeting was postponed due to unanticipated publicity. She [Rumph] informed that the EPA is committed to rescheduling and completing the inspection, and discussing with state and local officials the options for further options for additional community engagement. All this in an effort to gain a better understanding of the concerns and also work with the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to review community concerns with the MDC.  More details are available on the Hartford Courant website.

Source Credit: Jessica Hill, Hartford Courant,  January 20, 2023.

 

 

EPA to review Hartford residents’ claims

The Hartford Courant publication, dated January 17, 2023, reports that representatives of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) out of Boston, Massachusetts will be in Hartford on Tuesday to review claims by Hartford’s North End residents and activists regarding incidents of flooding and sewage backups that have plagued the Upper Albany, Blue Hills, and Northeast neighborhoods for several years and in some cases decades. According to the article, the plan is to initially meet at the American Legion, 2121 Main Street, at 3:00 PM then travel to different neighborhoods to speak to residents about the flooding issues of their homes. Further details may be viewed at the Hartford Courant website.

Source Credit: Deidre Montague, Hartford Courant, Tuesday, January 17, 2023.

Fonfara joins the race for Hartford mayor

Fonfara imageSenator John W. Fonfara is making a move for Hartford mayor in his lifelong hometown after 36 years of service in the State legislature. In an interview with the Hartford Courant, Fonfara asserted that he is now driven to be in a position that allows him to provide opportunities to the families that are unfortunately living in Hartford neighborhoods and are struggling due to extreme poverty and lack of opportunities.

As State senator and chairman of the finance committee, Fonfara was recently elected for another two-year term, and he is ranked among the most influential legislators due to serving as co-chairman of the tax-writing finance committee.  In his current position, Fonfara would not have to run for election until 2024, however, he expressed his goal and objective to transform the City of Hartford by providing opportunities to the families in Hartford. Hence, his decision to join the race for Mayor. Additional details are available on the Hartford Courant website.

Source Credit: Christopher Keating, The Hartford Courant, January 10, 2023.

First phase of $50M North Crossing Development

The North Crossing transformative development located downtown Hartford – South of Dunkin Donuts Park and around the corner from the XL Center-  is nearing completion. The Pennant, is the first of North Crossing’s residences. The developers RMS advocate that once completed, this development will feature a mix of residential, parking and retail buildings that combine historic Hartford charm with a modern, contemporary design.

The final $50 million project will consist of 270 apartments, a 330 parking space garage, and 11,000 square feet of retail space . It is lauded as a live-work-play development with unparalleled amenities that are custom designed for the Urban lifestyle. Pre-leasing of phase-1 began on May 15, 2022.

Additional details are available in the Hartford Courant publication dated Friday, July 15, 2022, authored by Kenneth R. Gosselin, and on the RMS website.

Resource Credit: RMS and Kenneth R. Gosselin/Hartford Courant

 

Upper Albany Main Street Helps Revitalize Hartford

In a recent interview with the Metro Hartford Alliance, the Executive Director of Upper Albany Main Street (UAMS), Marilyn Risi, responded to questions including:

“NAN: How was UAMS involved these improvements?

MARILYN: UAMS has provided a design committee meeting every month for the past 22 years. We’ve been involved in coordinating the streetscape projects and providing community input into many other projects that are being supported by the city and or state.

Our monthly meetings include representatives from the city, state, and the other agencies, including the MetroHartford Alliance, Hartford’s Neighborhood Revitalization Zones (NRZ), and the Blue Hills Civic Association, along with stakeholders from Saint Francis Hospital, the University of Hartford, and other local businesses. They have the opportunity to provide input into the development of the avenue, rather than someone coming in and telling them what is going to happen.

There have been many changes to both the city and to the Upper Albany area, but the mission remains the same. We are mission-focused. We support the residential issues. However, our main focus is to be a “one-stop shop” for the business owners lining Albany and Homestead Avenues. We really stepped in during the pandemic when business owners needed help with emergency grants. We serviced more than 100 businesses. Each one of them got $7,500 to assist them through the COVID-19 downturn when many had to close shop and deal with challenges related to the pandemic.

NAN: What would you say is your biggest accomplishment with this organization?

MARILYN: The investment in the community. The University of Hartford coming to Albany Avenue—that was a big deal. And to see the growth of some of the small businesses. That gives you a lot of pride. Our job has always been to improve what is here and attract that which will be complimentary. And what came provided more business to the existing businesses. This is a very important piece, because it’s always been about economic development.”

The entire interview may be viewed on the Hartford Chamber of Commerce website that is located at https://www.hartfordchamberct.com/about-us/newsroom/upper-albany-main-street-helps-revitalize-hartford/ and the Metro Hartford Alliance website at https://www.metrohartford.com/about-us/newsroom/upper-albany-main-street-helps-revitalize-hartford/

A Celebration of Life

The body of Islyn “Fay” Santouse, former UAMA President, was laid to rest at the Mt. St. Benedict Cemetery on Saturday, February 26, 2022.

Hartford North-End Residents struggle with storms, flooding, sewage backups — and question racial inequity

 

This excerpt from Kenneth R. Gosselin’s article that was published in the Hartford Courant on October 29, 2021, illuminates only a fragment of the existing level of frustration being faced by residents and business owners in the Hartford North End after experiencing major flooding by the late summer storm Fred and Hurricane Ida. The images contained in this post are credited to Gosselin/Mirko/Hartford Courant.  According to the article, the questions and comments of these constituents include:

“Why is it that people in the Upper Albany area area, the Blue Hills area, the Granby Street area and all those areas that are predominately Black are having to deal with these issues?” said June Lyons, a resident on Sargeant Street whose basement flooded during Storm Fred in August. “Why can’t it be rectified? I really do think this is part of environmental injustice and the
inequalities that we have to deal with…People are just fed up…It’s just really frustrating to know that every time it rains, you think, ‘ah, damn.’ You’re just constantly checking to see whether or not there is going to be some flooding.”

The article reported that June Lyons, currently runs a business out of her home selling body butter and other skincare products. Over the years, she has dealt with modest
water back-ups in her basement which made her finally purchase plastic storage tubs to reduce the volume things to drag out, dry out and put back. However, Lyons was not prepared for the near two feet of water in her basement after Fred hit.  This resulted in damage costing $7,000 to repair. In the image above (2nd from the top), Lyons shows a video in which she can be heard sloshing through her flooded basement, and she explained another sound. “That’s me, crying,” Lyons said. “There was a lot of water, but thank God, I didn’t have any sewer.”

The article continues…landlord Alburn Montague owns property located a couple blocks away from Lyon’s property.  His was a more traumatic experience because the flooding from Ida, caused raw sewage to back-up into the basement of his apartment building, and knock out the controls to the six boilers that heat four apartments and two storefronts. “It was a strong odor down here,” Montague said. “I threw bleach and things down here to help, too.” In the image above (last one at the bottom) Montague points a flashlight toward the boilers where high-water marks were visible, despite the boilers being up on cinderblocks. He asserted that costs to repair the damages will run in the tens of thousands of dollars.

According to the article, the MDC explained that in Upper Albany, the combined sewer and storm water systems on Albany Avenue likely need to be separated. The project could cost $20 million to $35 million, the MDC says, coming just a few scant years after a major, $30 million road and streetscape project was completed.  Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said the city is working with the MDC on short- and long-term resolutions, with separating sewer and storm water systems in mind. In some cases, special valves can control back-ups, Bronin said. But despite any upgrades, the underground pipe system in Hartford is nearly a century old in many parts of the city and even new, larger pipes still may not be able to handle sudden, violent downpours, Bronin said. “At the end of the day, this is a problem that we feel extreme urgency to fix,” Bronin said. “But we also have to acknowledge that it’s the result of changing weather patterns that are going to change the way we live in this community and every community.”

For more details, read the complete article.

Temple Body Butter Salutes UAMS!

Temple Body Butter is in the spotlight! At a national level, October is Women’s Small Business month. During an interview with the Women’s Small Business Center, June Lyons graciously applauded UAMS for the assistance its staff provided in establishing her business. Thank you, June! We are pleased to know that our work is appreciated. We wish you continued success in all your endeavors.

Flooding on the Avenue

The fast-moving Tropical Storm Fred created heavy flooding which an onlooker filmed in amazement. Mayor Luke Bronin tweeted, “A lot of flooding after we got about 5″ of rain in a very short time.”

 

The torrential rains on August 19, 2021,

caused flooding on Albany Avenue in Hartford, CT