Norwalk Redevelopment News 🌳 June 2024
News & Updates
TOPICS: Sustainable & Resilient Norwalk • SoNo Community Development Plan • Housing Initiatives • Current & Upcoming Community Engagement
From the Desk of the Executive Director
Greetings!
The Norwalk Redevelopment Agency strives to promote sustainable and inclusive economic development in Norwalk. Taking a collaborative approach with the community we serve, listening to stakeholders, and exchanging ideas and information is perhaps the single-most effective and important step the Agency takes in all our endeavors. In the interest of transparency and keeping you informed, I am excited to share what has been happening at the Redevelopment Agency.
Affordable Housing & Job Opportunities
Top priorities identified in the housing survey conducted in 2024
The Agency has been working on two different surveys to gauge the desires and needs of Norwalk residents. The first survey sought to gauge residents’ attitudes towards housing and housing development within Norwalk. The top priorities for a majority of the 580 respondents was the availability of affordable housing opportunities and job opportunities. A majority also expressed that traffic congestion and climate sustainability should be factored into any housing development efforts. This information is invaluable to decision makers so that informed decisions can be made moving forward, and we greatly appreciate your participation. A second survey that examines an approach to managing stormwater is currently being circulated. I encourage everyone to submit your responses, as we review and discuss them all with a sincere focus on improving our planning efforts with your feedback.
An article in this newsletter highlights the City’s progress in climate and sustainability efforts to address the impacts of climate change. Working with members of the Common Council, community stakeholders and a number of climate experts, we have collectively developed an actionable
Sustainability and Resilience Plan (SRP) which provides a roadmap to a more a resilient and sustainable Norwalk, protecting and preserving the community’s natural beauty for generations to come.
Sustainability & Resilience Priorities
Also in this newsletter, you will read that we are working with local leaders and residents to develop a plan focused on balancing growth, preserving neighborhood character, improving traffic flow, and addressing concerns about displacement and gentrification, focusing on the Lexington Avenue and South Main Street area. During the kickoff meeting for this project, the open dialogue produced many excellent thoughts and ideas on how to develop policies that balance growth and equity within existing neighborhoods and improve local quality of life in several areas. It is only through this input from the community that we can develop plans that will achieve our goals of inclusivity and sustainability.
We will continue to host community engagement events to give the public opportunities to be engaged with the growth and progress in their neighborhood. I encourage you to continue to participate in our collaborative process as we move forward together to ensure Norwalk remains a sustainable, equitable community for all.
Brian Bidolli
Executive Director
Sustainable & Resilient Norwalk
Earlier in the year, the Redevelopment Agency and the City of Norwalk released a Sustainability and Resilience Plan (SRP) which will serve as a roadmap to long-term climate-change resiliency in Norwalk. The SRP identifies critical actions that will boost the City’s climate change mitigation efforts, gaps in the City’s current policies and management, and outlines a pipeline of actionable projects that address issues we are facing in our community.
Knowing that costly and hazardous environmental challenges are increasingly threatening residents’ quality of life, the City engaged in a comprehensive planning process that included multiple public outreach sessions and meetings with key stakeholders and staff. Community members voiced concerns about flooding, lack of green space, and air quality. Within the SRP are actionable steps not only aimed at enhancing climate control and strengthening long-term infrastructure resiliency but also at addressing immediate quality of life issues, especially in low-income neighborhoods. The Plan examines ways to lower emissions from both private and public sector contributors in Norwalk. Additionally, it suggests simple interventions such as tree and native plantings that have layered benefits including sequestering CO2 emissions, mitigating flooding, enhancing the landscape, and creating shade canopies; sound investments for Norwalk to address multiple concerns simultaneously.
The SRP is only the beginning of the work that must be accomplished. As the Redevelopment Agency and the City work together to implement plan initiatives, we will continue to look to residents and business owners to share their experiences, challenges, and ideas. To read the SRP and learn about assessments completed as first steps towards creating the SRP, visit the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency website.
SoNo Community Development Plan
The Norwalk Redevelopment Agency is actively working with community stakeholders, municipal staff and a consulting team of experts to develop a Community Development Plan for South Norwalk, centered on the Lexington Avenue and South Main Street area. In response to concerns about the rising cost of living and economic inclusion among many long-time residents of the neighborhood, this planning initiative will focus on the development of policies and strategies to improve resident quality of life throughout the planning area and throughout the City.
The team developing the South Norwalk Community Development Plan will analyze existing conditions in South Norwalk, assess social vulnerability, identify infrastructure needs, examine future conditions and develop recommendations for implementation and strategies for performance monitoring during plan implementation. The plan aims to create a clear roadmap for equity, focusing on the economic, aesthetic, social and environmental impacts of development. A key objective is to identify economic opportunities and ways to improve quality of life while addressing concerns such as affordable housing, transportation, and connectivity. This planning effort seeks to engage a wide range of stakeholders while building on South Norwalk's history, diversity and cultural richness.
For the plan to be effective and relevant, we will look to residents and community leaders for their insight, experience and ideas. During the planning process, we will organize various community engagement initiatives which will be publicized in various forms of media. If you have comments you would like to share or suggestions for reaching South Norwalk residents, please visit our project page on our website.
Housing Initiatives
South Norwalk Improvement Program (SNIP)
SNIP is intended to help facilitate equitable housing improvements for low-moderate income homeowners and property owners renting to low-moderate income tenants. The program seeks to make façade improvements and critical interior repairs to both beautify properties and sustain or improve the condition of properties occupied by income eligible residents.
Historic Façade Improvement Program
The Historic Façade Improvement Program seeks to maintain and preserve historic properties throughout Norwalk. Exterior improvements have a positive visual impact, stimulate private investment, and complement other community development efforts. This program is intended to assist property owners with projects that are typically too small to generate historic tax credits. The application guidelines subject the properties to historically accurate benchmarks for improvements to maintain the historic characteristics of each property.
Residential Improvement Fund (Low-Interest Loan Program)
The Residential Improvement Fund is a federally funded, low-interest loan program for Norwalk residents who qualify under the program guidelines. The program is reserved for low-moderate income, owner occupied and rental property owners, and non-profit organizations. Payments on loans recycle into the Revolving Loan Fund, which is reserved for future housing activities to support low-moderate housing improvement projects.
To stay informed about Housing Initiatives:
If you are a property owner interested in our housing improvement programs, email Sivan@Norwalkct.gov to be added to our contact list should a program become available.
Information and additional opportunities can be found on the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency’s Grants & Programs webpage.
Current & Upcoming Community Engagement
Nonprofit Capacity Building Workshop Series: Fostering Strong Interagency Collaboration
June 23rd (Guest speaker: Jennifer Barahona, CEO, Norwalk ACTS)
Digital Equity Workshop
August 13th - Details coming soon!
CDBG ConnPlan
Community input events happening soon.
Stormwater Management Survey
The City of Norwalk is currently assessing ways to improve our local sustainability and we want your input! Please take our short survey and at the end you will be provided an opportunity to enter for a chance to win a $200 Visa gift card to be used anywhere Visa is accepted.

Collecting responses through June 30th.
Esta encuesta está disponible en español.
Sondaj sa a disponib an kreyòl ayisyen.
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