Meadow Gardens

Meadow Gardens is a Sound Communities redevelopment project breaking ground in 2024. It consists of 59 affordable housing units in 8 walk-up buildings with onsite parking. Development plans include a community center, playground, and outdoor recreation area. The development contains all-electric utilities and will have electric vehicle charging stations for residents.

Redevelopment Plan

Meadow Gardens is a public housing complex with 54 units that was built in the 1960s. To improve the quality of affordable housing for tenants, Sound Communities will tear down the existing buildings and construct a brand new development. 

The redevelopment project will have 59 units, 36 of which will be restricted to 30% of area median income (AMI) and the remaining 23 units to 50% of AMI. The proposed unit mix includes 15 one-bedroom units, 19 two-bedroom units, 18 three-bedroom units, and 7 four-bedroom units. Included in this count are 7 ADA-accessible units.

The scheduled opening for the property is Fall 2026.

Unit Mix:

Flats

Flats are one story and are ADA accessible.

Two-Story Duplexes

Two-story duplexes consist of a kitchen and living room on the first floor and bedrooms on the second floor.

Community Center

The 4,500 sq ft community center contains a:

• Learning center with free after-school and summer programming as operated by the Norwalk Housing Authority for K-5 grade children living in the complex 
• Private gym for tenants 
• Property management offices

Transportation

Meadow Gardens is walking distance to Wheels Bus routes Number 10 (South Main and Novak), Number 9 (Burritt & Woodward Ave), and Number 11 (at South Main & Monroe). 

The South Norwalk Train Station, which provides MetroNorth and Amtrak service, is an 18-minute walk or a 12-minute bus ride on Wheels Route 10. Travel times from South Norwalk to job centers in Stamford (16 minutes), New Haven (1 hour), or Grand Central Station (1 hour, 10 minutes) are convenient and regular.

Target Population

The target population for Meadow Gardens will primarily be the original residents (public housing tenants) whose rent will be subsidized by Section 8 vouchers. There will be six units set-aside for homeless families. Any additional available units will be leased to a qualified household earning up to 50% of area median income.

Funding Sources

• 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credits
• $3.3 million CT DECD Brownfields grant 
• $3.4 million CT DECD Community Investment Fund grant 
• $875,000 Community Project Funding grant 
• Sound Communities Sponsor Loan 
• CT Department of Housing loan