Since opening in 1975 with 40 one-bedroom units, Nunnawauk Meadows has provided affordable housing for the elderly in Newtown. The community on Nunnawauk Road, off Mile Hill Road, has expanded more than once in the past 40 years, with current units now numbering 134. More than 150 residents enjoy the affordable housing, and many more would, said Nunnawauk Meadows Board of Directors President Richard Kovacs and Linda Manganaro, executive director of the facility since 2011, if there were more apartments.

“There has always been a need for more housing here,” said Ms Manganaro, “and we usually have a wait list of over 100.”

The wait list number is closer to 160 as of January 20, said Mr Kovacs. With a turnover of only nine to 15 units each year, that means only ten percent of those on the waiting list will be accommodated. And, he said, every year, at least 15 more people apply to live at Nunnawauk Meadows. Two big draws for potential residents are the proximity to relatives or familiarity with the town, and applications are received from all across the country.

To qualify for residency currently, a person must be 62 years of age or older, or a disabled person of any age. Adjusted annual income must be no more than $57,750 for a single person, or $65,200 for two people.

The board of directors would like to say “Yes” to more of the eligible applicants. For the past four years, a building committee made up of three board members, one resident, and the director have been working toward a plan to build additional units, so that more qualified senior citizens can live at Nunnawauk Meadows.

Nunnawauk Meadows owns more than 40 acres that have not been developed, and while plans would need to go through the usual channels in the town for an expansion, the board does not anticipate insurmountable problems going forward.

“We’re being open minded about what we can build,” Ms Manganaro said. “The units may be the same, but we are involved in an ongoing investigation as to what would work best,” she said. One issue that may be addressed, although it is very preliminary, is for some new apartments to be two-bedroom units. Many qualified Newtown residents opt for affordable housing in other cities because Nunnawauk offers only studio and one-bedroom apartments at this time. People who want to remain in town find that elderly housing here does not always suit their needs because of that, she said.

What does draw great numbers to apply to live at Nunnawauk Meadows, besides nearby family, is the attractive layout of the grounds and apartments, Ms Manganaro said. “We are the only affordable housing in the state, I believe, with onsite management. We are self-managed, and we have our own maintenance staff. The setting of Nunnawauk Meadows is also very nice. It is situated on mostly flat land and is nicely landscaped and well maintained,” she said. The large community room, with its programs and activities determined by residents as well as staff, appeals to many.

There is much groundwork to be done before shovels are ever put in the ground, though, noted Ms Manganaro.

One of the greatest hurdles they must jump, she said, is where to find funding for the project.

“Nunnawauk Meadows was originally funded by the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development, which still oversees the operations here, and how to qualify people,” Ms Manganaro said, and earlier additions were also funded through that program. However, there is no longer any money available through the USDA Rural Development for new housing, she said.

To have a better idea of where and how to find alternative funding sources, said Mr Kovacs, two companies have been hired in the past four years to help clarify their needs.

Rockfall Company of Meriden was paid $2,500 in 2011, Mr Kovacs said, to provide the board with a budgetary assessment of what would be needed to add on to the Nunnawauk Meadows complex. Last year, $8,000 went to Millenium Real Estate in Rocky Hill, which provided them with a 150-page booklet that will serve as a source of information as they seek funding. Representatives from Millenium attended a residents’ association meeting to gather input, an important aspect as they move forward, said Mr Kovacs. “It was money well spent, we think,” he said.

“We want more people in town to be aware of the need [for additional affordable elderly housing],” Mr Kovacs said. One of the options for funding the addition, he said, could be private funding through “mega-corporations.” Public awareness surrounding the need at Nunnawauk Meadows could be important in securing private funding, he added.

Another issue that needs to be addressed, said Ms Manganaro, is that of rental subsidies.

“The USDA used to provide rent subsidies, too, for very low income people who apply. They no longer do that, so we will have to be creative now for people in that category,” she said.

“We met last week with the executive director of the Connecticut Housing Coalition,” Mr Kovacs said. A six-month program for those in the affordable housing industry is offered through the Coalition’s Affordable Housing Academy, in Wethersfield. According to its website, this program is “a highly participatory project-development effort that offers guidance to teams from housing authorities and private housing development organizations.”

Board members at Nunnawauk feel that it could be a useful tool, but hesitate, as it would put seeking funding back by nearly a year. The next program is not scheduled to begin until early summer 2015. They have not ruled out the program, though, as it would be an opportunity for the state to become familiar with the plans for Nunnawauk Meadows, said Ms Manganaro, as well as position them for success. She remains hopeful, too, that there remains an avenue for additional state or federal funding for the project.

“We want to accommodate those on our waiting list. We are aware there is a long waiting list, and are looking into a way to alleviate it,” Ms Manganaro said.

Being proactive now means that needed housing for the elderly is likely to be a reality sooner, rather than later. Progress toward a day when more housing is available at Nunnawauk is slow, she said, but steady.