Newtown Housing For The Elderly To Dedicate Latest Addition

The fifth expansion project at Nunnawauk Meadows has just been completed, adding 14 new apartments to the complex. The public is invited to attend dedication ceremonies for the addition on Tuesday, February 1, at 10 am.

Light refreshments will be served and tours will be given through the new structure at 3 Nunnawauk Road.

There are currently 120 units at Nunnawauk Meadows housing 140 residents. The one-bedroom units include a full kitchen and a living-dining room, complete with smoke, fire. and emergency alarms connected to a central emergency system.

The dream of a housing project for the elderly started back in 1968, when many clergy and church members came to realize that Newtown was losing some of its longtime residents because there were no multiple housing facilities to meet the needs of the local elderly.

Not too much was accomplished until 1970, when the original 19 people from six churches in the community became a dedicated group of nine who established the present nonprofit corporation known as Newtown Housing for the Elderly, Inc (NHE). Much had to be done to move on their dream. First, a suitable site had to be found; then a source of money; and finally, town approval had to be obtained.

Nunnawauk Meadows Executive Director Frank DeLucia, who was first selectman at the time, heard of a source of US government funding from the Farmers Home Administration, which could possibly provide funding for such a complex. Joe Chase, Art Scherer, and Mr DeLucia followed up on this idea and managed to obtain the necessary funds. Concurrently, negotiations were held with the state of Connecticut, resulting in a state land grant of a 20-acre site situated on Nunnawauk Road at the southeast portion of Fairfield Hills.

Construction of 40 units started in March of 1975, followed by 40 more units in 1980, 16 units in 1985, and in 1995, 24 more units on ten acres of an additional 45-acre land grant from the state of Connecticut. With the help of a monetary grant from the state, the 1995 expansion included enlarging the community building and putting in a commercial kitchen, which enabled Nunnawauk Meadows to obtain from the federal and state Congregate Housing Services Program a daily noon meal program for those residents who wish to participate.

The complex is self-managed by a board of directors consisting of nine townspeople who volunteer their time and energy. The actual on-site staff consists of an executive director; an administrator and assistant administrator; and a maintenance team of three. Nunnawauk Meadows has received a number of grants from the state of Connecticut, but much of the project has been built with loans. The overall value of the total 134 apartments will be well over $5 million dollars with the completion of this expansion.

“As we study and plan for the future, we realize that care of the elderly is more than just decent housing at affordable rates,” said Ed Osterman, chairman of the NHE Building Committee.

This addition will allow some of the residents with mobility difficulties the opportunity to easily access the community building where many of the activities occur, such as the lunch program, social events, and meeting with their fellow residents. The new construction will also include a hair salon, arts and crafts room, library, and medical room.

The need for this type of construction is most apparent as there continues to be a waiting list of prospective tenants.

“Nunnawauk Meadows is a dream come true for our residents; it is well to remember that all dreams must start somewhere, by someone, so we are thankful for those who had this dream back in 1968,” Mr Osterman said.