Housing Authority advances Millport capital funding requests
Other Committee · Meeting of March 18, 2026
New Canaan Housing Authority welcomes new commissioner, still can't set Canaan Parish return date. Commissioners swore in incoming member Marilyn, who will serve as resident commissioner and tenant liaison, with her formal swearing-in set for March 28. Staff reported first- and second-floor insulation work is complete at Canaan Parish, with sheetrock and a federal Inspire inspection, now covering both buildings instead of one, scheduled for April 15.
Riverwood occupancy sits at 97 percent as the authority continues paying displaced Canaan Parish tenants' rent there at Canaan Parish rates. The Board of Selectmen has approved advancing Millport repaving and security-system funding requests to the Board of Finance and Town Council in April. Commissioners debated but did not resolve how to handle snow removal after fixed-price contracts, especially at Riverwood, failed to account for a heavy winter: "The problem wasn't plowing.
The problem was where to put it after you've plowed it."
In the full story:
- The complete report — 769 words
Source: the Other Committee meeting of March 18, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
The Full Article
NEW CANAAN — March 18, 2026 — The New Canaan Housing Authority's board of commissioners welcomed its newest member Wednesday and heard updates on the ongoing insulation and sheetrock repair project at Canaan Parish, along with word that the Board of Selectmen has approved moving forward two capital improvement requests for the Millport property.
Commissioners took no major votes at the meeting beyond routine procedural approvals, but spent much of the session on the status of displaced Canaan Parish tenants, a State Farm insurance claim tied to the repair work, and unresolved questions about how the authority should handle snow removal after a costly winter.
The Full Story
The board opened with full attendance and formally welcomed Marilyn, its newest commissioner, who will serve as the resident commissioner and tenant liaison. Commissioners said her official swearing-in is scheduled for March 28, and that they plan to hold a reception introducing her to residents at Millport and Canaan Parish. Two tenants, identified as Cynthia and Wendy, spoke during public comment to welcome Marilyn and ask about pest control scheduling and the outcome of a Board of Selectmen meeting held the previous day.
The Canaan Parish property manager, whose name was rendered inconsistently in the meeting audio as Chandrita, Shandrita and Shondra, reported that insulation work on the first and second floors of both buildings is complete, including vacant units that had to be temporarily cleared. Sheetrock installation was expected to be scheduled the following day through contractor AP Construction, with a contact identified as Ryan. A management occupancy review is set for Thursday, and a separate federal Inspire inspection was moved to April 15 to cover both the north and south buildings rather than the north building alone, as originally planned. Displaced Canaan Parish residents, temporarily housed at the nearby Riverwood complex, still had no confirmed return date as of the meeting.
Millport's property manager, identified as Amy, reported four vacant units, including one held up by income-eligibility issues on a Section 8 unit and one vacated unexpectedly after a tenant who said she was staying instead moved out and dropped off her keys. She said three more vacancies are expected soon. A staff member identified as Rick told commissioners the Board of Selectmen has approved advancing two capital improvement requests, covering repaving at Millport and a new security system, to the Board of Finance and Town Council in April for further approval.
A staff member identified as Alex told commissioners he has been coordinating with a State Farm insurance adjuster on the Canaan Parish claim and confirmed the authority is paying Riverwood the equivalent of Canaan Parish rental rates, rather than Riverwood's own higher rate, for the displaced tenants under what commissioners called a "good neighbor" arrangement. Riverwood's occupancy stands at 97 percent, according to a commissioner identified as Tim.
Commissioners also discussed at length how to handle snow removal after a winter in which fixed-price vendor contracts, particularly at Riverwood, did not adjust for the volume of snow. They weighed hiring a full-time maintenance employee to plow all three properties, purchasing a skid steer, or continuing to contract out the work, but reached no decision and asked a vendor identified as Westmount to study the options further.
"It stunk to have this whole system this winter, but the only good part about it is that it ripped the band-aid off," — Alex, staff overseeing Canaan Parish repairs.
"The problem wasn't plowing. The problem was where to put it after you've plowed it." — Rick, staff member on the properties' capital and vendor work.
"Real estate management should not be exciting. It should absolutely not be exciting." — Scott, commission chair, responding to Millport's routine property report.
Why It Matters
Dozens of Canaan Parish residents remain temporarily relocated to Riverwood while insulation and sheetrock repairs continue, with commissioners still unable to give tenants a firm return date. The authority is absorbing the cost difference between Canaan Parish and Riverwood rents to keep those tenants housed. Separately, Millport residents could see repaving and new security cameras funded if the Board of Selectmen's approval clears the Board of Finance and Town Council next month. The unresolved snow removal question could affect the authority's operating budget going into next winter across all three properties: Canaan Parish, Millport and Riverwood.
Key Motions & Votes
- Vote: Approval of prior meeting minutes Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Motion to enter executive session Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Motion to adjourn Tally: Approved unanimously
Source
Town Of New Canaan: Housing Authority meeting, March 18, 2026