Governor Ned Lamont met with residents to celebrate the opening of an apartment complex and learning center in Norwalk.
The Oak Grove Apartments are a 69-unit affordable housing project and learning center.
The $38 million project was supported in part by funding from state and federal grants and private funding. A $5.8 million grant from the CT Department of Housing, a $1.8 million grant from DECD’s Community Investment Fund, and an allocation of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits through CHFA. The Richman Group contributed nearly $14 million in LIHTC equity, and Bankwell provided construction-to-permanent financing.
Once a vacant lot, The Oak Grove is a 7.62-acre site located at 164 West Cedar Street.
Apartments come in one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom sizes and all the units are now fully leased. Residents in the apartments range in income from middle and lower income. The project includes project-based Section 8 housing vouchers administered by the NHA. Seven of those units were set aside for formerly homeless families.
“This is housing that is all about community. That’s what this learning center is about. That's what I saw those front porches were about. This is housing for people who maybe work here in Norwalk and now can afford to live in the town where they work, ” Lamont said.
The Curtis Law Learning Center will provide free after-school programs and tutoring for children from kindergarten to 5th grade. Starting this summer, the center will provide activities focused on literacy, STEM, art, and social and emotional learning. The center was named after Curtis Law, who served as the executive director of the Norwalk Housing Authority for 43 years.
Norwalk Mayor Barbara Smyth said the affordable housing units will help build a safe and stable community for families and children. She said the center will play an important role in providing opportunities for children to learn, grow, and succeed.
“We’re celebrating more than a new housing development. We are celebrating a new neighborhood, new opportunities, and a stronger Norwalk. This is the kind of investment that helps families thrive, strengthens connections between neighbors, and builds a more inclusive community for generations to come," Smyth said.
