CDBG Grant Could Upgrade Elderly Apartments

SOMERSWORTH, NH - New windows and upgrades to handicap accessibility may be in store for the Charpentier Apartments. City Council will vote in January to approve the submission of a community development block grant, or CDBG, for $300,000 for the installation of new windows, windowsills and a handicapped foyer at the parking lot ground level.

Beth Salinger, executive director of the Housing Authority, said the grant is much needed to upgrade the more than 25-year-old building. "The windows are all single-hung, aluminum-frame windows," she said. "Water has gotten in and they're drafty. They're no longer functional on many of the units and can't be lifted anymore." There are 263 windows slated to be replaced. For the 49 elderly who live in the building, having windows that not only keep them warm but can also be lifted easily is important, Salinger said. "They're not energy efficient," she added.

The ground-level entrance needs to be upgraded, as it offers limited and, in some cases, no handicap accessibility, according to Salinger. Currently, there is a single-door entrance from the back parking lot that allows entry into the building's ground floor. The door entrance isn't ADA accessible and those residents using large wheelchairs and scooters cannot gain access without difficulty and in some cases not at all, Salinger said.

According to a written plan that was submitted to councilors, the new entry would be enlarged, a new foundation would be poured and all ADA standards would be met. The Housing Authority will now be able to apply for the grant with the council's Dec. 15 approval.

The Somersworth Housing Authority is the authorized agent for the city in matters related to community development. The Charpentier Apartments, located at 28 Franklin St., serves as elderly housing owned and operated by the Housing Authority. The building formerly served as St. Martin's school and rectory but was converted to elderly housing in 1983.

Salinger said as the Housing Authority only receives a "minimal amount of money" through the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which are capital funds based on a formula that looks at how many housing units are operated throughout the city, it would take "about five years" to complete the Charpentier Apartments project without a grant. "This is a very expensive project," she said.