Hope VI Fairfield Court Neighborhood: 2011 Evaluation for the Stamford Housing Authority, aka Charter Oak Communities, Stamford, Connecticut

Abstract

During the ten-year period that occurs between available Census data for the Fairfield Court HUD project Baseline (1999) and data in this report (2009), the nation in general, and Stamford in particular, experienced a strong housing bubble, evidenced by new construction and strong increases in market value and assessed value, even in the less well-to-do HOPE VI neighborhood. In this decade when all areas developed into more diverse communities, HOPE VI residents in Tract 215 experienced, in aggregate, upward movement in their Median Income, even though poverty also increased by 1% across the decade (using American Community Survey data). For residents in Tract 214, on the western side of Stamford, median income declined by 25% although poverty also declined, if only by a single percent over the decade – while maintaining low vacancy rates in an area where almost 75% of housing units are rented.The area continues to support light manufacturing and warehousing, retail, a few major office buildings, Stamford Hospital and adjoining doctors’ offices, a motel and restaurants and standard services. In aggregate, the proportions for business types are generally the same at the end of this period as at the starting timeframe.