To maintain the High

Performer designation

in the management of

Housing Choice Vouch-

er (Section 8) Program.

Develop quality hous-

ing that is affordable

and indistinguishable

from the surrounding

community.

Empower HACD em-

ployees and residents

through sponsored

training and education

programs.

Increase intergovern-

mental collaborative

between the Housing

Authority of the City of

Danbury and its net-

work of partners in

public safety and social

services delivery.

The Housing Authority of

the City of Danbury pre-

sented its Annual and Five

Year Plan to a public hear-

ing at 2 PM, October 14th at

the agency’s 2 Mill Ridge

Rd. offices.

Federal Law requires the

agency develop a plan with

input from public housing

and Housing Choice Vouch-

er participants, elected offi-

cials and the public.

HACD is one of the ten

largest public housing

authorities in the State of

Connecticut. It has in-

creased its housing stock

from 1133 to 1840 housing

units during the last eleven

years.

In developing the plan,

HACD will reach out to the

residents, public officials

and the public including

HACD’s resident leadership,

to elicit comments and rec-

ommendations. Comments

will also be received

through the mail during the

statutory review period.

Among the major initiatives

in this year’s plan are:

Improve the lives of our

residents through the

continued implementa-

tion of an effective As-

set Management strat-

egy.

To maintain Standard

Performer designation

through improvements

in the Agency’s core

property and financial

management

Housing Authority Presents Annual Plan

Wooster Manor and Putnam

Towers are receiving major

upgrades to common areas, a

project that is scheduled for

completion shortly after

Thanksgiving.

HACD is investing about

$450,000 of capital improve-

ment funds for the project.

Improvements are similar at

both sites. Asbestos was re-

moved, which required areas to

be isolated for about a week at

each site. Community rooms

and kitchens are being com-

pletely renovated.

The renovations

include floor and

ceiling replace-

ments, improved

lighting and new

windows and

doors.

Bathrooms at

both community

rooms are being

m a d e h a n d i -

capped accessible and will

meet ADA requirements.

All the improvements are

meant to be functional and to

add increased eye appeal for

residents and their quests.

The improvements are being

made while the buildings are

occupied in an effort to mini-

mize the impact on residents.

Hat City Housing Herald

Housing Authority, City of

Danbury

HACDCT.ORG

Fall 2012

Volume 4, Issue 4

Inside this issue:

Laurel Gardens

Benefits from Eagle

Scout Project

2

Glen Apartments

Weatherization

2

Housing Choice

Voucher High

Performer

2

What’s In A Name

Putnam Towers

3

America’s Fastest

Growing Crime

3

Senior’s Picnic

Photos

4

Laurel Gardens

Dedication Photo

4

Chairman,

Domenico Chieffalo.

Vice Chairman,

Raymond Yamin

Resident Commissioner,

James Zeh

Commissioner,

Stanley Watkins

Executive Director,

M. Carolyn Sistrunk

Renovations Refresh Wooster Manor and Putnam Towers

Lobby view of Wooster Manor after asbestos removal

Area officials gathered at the

Laurel Gardens basketball

court Saturday, September

29th, to dedicate the refur-

bished site . They were also

there to honor Alex Fish of

Ridgefield who’s Eagle Scout

Service Project resulted in the

new and greatly improved site.

On hand for the dedication

were Danbury Mayor Mark

Boughton and Ridgefield First

Selectmen Rudy Marconi. Also

present were city council mem-

bers, HACD board members

and other city officials.

Alex, a member of Troop 76,

has been working on the pro-

ject for most of the summer.

The effort took prior months of

planning and approval by the

boy scout district and council

officials, the HACD Board of

Directors and local officials.

Alex researched the need for

the project which he did with

the assistance of Danbury

Youth Services.

He also had to then deter-

mine the best available suppli-

er for the suspended court

surface.

Alex determined he needed a

budget of about $8,700—funds

which he had to raise. He then

needed to recruit volunteers to

help install the project. Alex

relied on friends, fellow scouts,

and several Laurel Garden

youth who will benefit from the

project. Many of these volun-

teers were on hand for the ded-

ication.

Alex and his team installed a

SportsCourt suspended basket-

ball surface—a series of snap-in

tiles. This surface provides a

safer playing area.

In addition to the new court

surface, Alex centered the

backboard supports, All new

backboards, hoops and nets

were installed.

Eagle Scout is the highest

rank attainable in the Boy

Scouts of America. President

Gerald Ford, New York Mayor

Mike Bloomberg and Secretary

of Defense Robert Gates were

Eagle Scouts. Eagle Scout

ranks also include several No-

bel Prize laurites.

Alex is the son of Dr. Daniel

and Geraldine Fish. He is a

junior at Ridgefield High School.

When asked what his future

aspirations were he responded

“Whatever career I pursue, I

hope to have a positive impact

on other people’s lives.”

(Event photo on page 4)

Eagle Scout Project Upgrades Laurel Basketball Court

Glen Apartments Weatherization Energy efficient interior and

exterior lighting is also being

installed.

Under a separate grant, win-

dows are being replaced in

those units heated with elec-

tricity. This grant has a value of

about $36,000.

HACD is seeking additional

funding to replace the windows

in those unity not covered in

the present grant.

The Housing Authority of the

City of Danbury’s Housing

Choice Voucher (Section 8)

Program recently achieved a

High Performer designation

from the U.S. Department of

Housing and Urban Develop-

ment.

This means that HACD’s Sec-

tion 8 Program attained a per-

formance rating of 90 or above

in fourteen key areas that

HUD measures through it’s

SEMAP measurement.

HACD’s program measured

125 points out of a possible

135 points.

This is the first time HACD

received this designation.

Work has begun at the Glen

Apartment to help keep resi-

dents warm this winter and

cooler next summer.

With a grant from Northeast

Utilities which provides nearly

$65,000 in funding, workers

are installing attic insulation in

all buildings. All doors are be-

ing weather-sealed and all fau-

cets and showers are being

upgraded with water saving

devices.

Page 2 Hat City Housing

Housing Choice Vouch-

er Program Designated

High Performer

CityCenter Farm-

ers’ Market Con-

tinues to Oct. 26

The CityCenter Farm-

ers’ Market at which

many of our residents

take advantage of the

farm-to-table bounty of

the Western Connecticut

region, remains open

until the end of the

month.

Open from 10 am to 4

pm vendors have plenty

of fall produce. Baked

goods and other items

are available.

Farmers’ Market Nutri-

tion Program (FMNP)

and Supplemental Nutri-

tion Assistance (SNAP)

Program vouchers are

accepted.

Wait Lists Open

Wait lists for State Mod-

erate Rental 2 bedroom,

Glen Apartments and

Crosby Manor efficiency

a p a r t m e n t s o p e n

Wednesday, October

17th.

Applications may be

picked up at the 2 Mill

Ridge Rd. office.

Applications must be

returned by mail only.

Volunteers who

helped refurbish the

Laurel Gardens court

hold certificates of

appreciation present-

ed by HACD Chairman

Chieffalo.

(K. Quallen photo)

Putnam Towers, Putnam

Drive, Putnam County, Putnam

Memorial State Park, Town of

Putnam. What do all these

sites have in common? All were

named to honor Revolutionary

war General Israel Putnam.

Gen. Putnam was born Janu-

ary 7, 1718 in what is now Dan-

vers, Mass. At the age of 22 he

moved to Pomfret, CT., to es-

tablish a farm because land

was cheaper in Connecticut.

Putnam took part in the

French and Indian War as a

member of Roger’s Rangers

and later lead a similar compa-

ny of rangers in Connecticut.

During a military exercise in

New York he was captured by a

band of Indians and was saved

from burning at a stake by a

French officer.

Outspoken against the British

taxation policies around the

time of the Stamp Act, he was

elected to Connecticut’s Gen-

eral Assembly.

A prosperous farmer and tav-

ern owner, Putnam received

news of the Battle of Lexington

and Concord in 1775. Working

in his fields he abandoned his

plow and rode 100 miles to

Cambridge to offer his services.

The next day Putnam was

named major general in what

became the Continental Army.

He was a primary participant at

the Battle of Bunker Hill—in its

planning and on the battle-

field.

In 1778-1779, Gen. Put-

nam’s troops encamped in

Redding when it was decided

that from that position it could

support the fortress at West

Point and cover the areas

around Long Island Sound.

From this camp they could

also protect nearby Danbury

which was burned the year

before by British troops and

resurrected to keep supplies

going to Gen. Washington’s

army.

This winter encampment is

now Putnam Memorial State

Park.

What’s In A Name — Putnam Towers and Putnam Drive

ID Theft — America’s Fastest Growing Crime

you have initiated the con-

tact.

Shred all documents—

including pre-approved

credit card applications—

received in your name;

insurance forms, bank

statements, bank checks

or similar financial instru-

ments.

Do not use your mother’s

maiden name, any part of

your social security num-

ber, phone number or oth-

er similar series of num-

bers as a password for

anything.

Do not put your social se-

curity number or telephone

number on your checks. If

a business requests such

information offer an alter-

native and explain why.

Minimize the number of

credit/debit cards you

carry.

Record the credit card

numbers, bank names,

customer service numbers

and keep in a secure place

in case of loss.

Be careful using ATMs.

Someone can look over

your shoulder as you use

them and get your PIN

number. Skimming devic-

es and pin-hole cameras

have been attached to

ATMs in an effort to steal

your information.

If ordering a new credit

card, make sure to track

the time until it is received

and notify the issuing bank

if it does not arrive within

the scheduled time.

Do not put your credit card

information of the internet

unless the site is encrypt-

ed.

Pay attention to your billing

cycles. Follow up with

creditors if bills do not

arrive on time. A missing

credit card bill could mean

an identify thief has taken

over your credit and

changed your billing ad-

dress.

The National Crime Prevention

Council provided information

for this article.

Over the past several

months Danbury Housing Au-

thority residents have reported

being victims of Identity Theft to

the Danbury Police Department.

The National Crime Prevention

Council calls ID Theft the fast-

est growing crime in America,

affecting half a million new

victims a year.

An imposter who obtains your

social security number, date of

birth, address or phone number

can apply for credit or order

goods over the interned. They

can also obtain credit cards or

other financial instruments in

your name.

“Dumpster Divers” pick up

information you may have dis-

carded in the trash such as

utility bills, credit card slips, and

other documents.

ID Theft impacts all age

groups from new born children

to senior citizens. Here as

some tips to avoid being victim-

ized:

Never give out personal

information over the

phone, through the mail, or

over the internet unless

Volume 4, Issue 4

The thing that is

really hard, and

really amazing,

is giving up on

being perfect

and beginning

the work of

becoming

yourself.

~Anna Quindlen

Page 3

Gen. David Wooster

General Israel Putnam

.

HACDCT.ORG

Housing Authority, City of Danbury

2 Mill Ridge Rd.

Danbury, CT 06811

Phone: 203 744-2500

Fax: 203 797-1864

The Authority's mission, in support of the

City of Danbury, is to provide safe, afford-

able and decent housing within the City of

Danbury

Hat City Housing Herald

Kevin N. Barry, Editor

203 744-2500 X115

Alex Fish (l) listens as Ridgefield First Selectman addresses attendees at

the dedication of the new basketball court at Laurel Gardens. Mayor

Mark Boughton and HACD Executive Director M. Carolyn Sistrunk also

spoke. Alex, of Ridgefield, refurbished the court as his Eagle Scout Ser-

vice Project. (S. Estefan photo)

Fun,

Friendship

and Food.

A good time

was had by all.

2012 Senior

Picnic