Mary Johnson Photo
Despite the uptick in the stock market, Branford residents – and Connecticut residents in general – are still struggling with effects of the Great Recession. The town’s strong social services programs are continuing to see an increase in the number of families taking advantage of their assistance, whether it’s due to cutbacks in the food stamp program, unemployment benefits, or underemployment. The real estate market also reflects the sluggish economy.
Unemployment is down to 5.6 percent as of December 2013 (from a high of 8.1 percent in December 2010), but that may be due to the exhaustion of benefits, the number of people who have stopped looking, or those settling for minimum wage jobs.
A survey published in January by Connecticut Voices for Children compared poverty, income, and health insurance in the state’s cities and towns using data from the 2008 – 2013 American Community Survey Census and the 2000 Decennial Census.
Branford’s statistics were significant in several ways. (Note that there are margins of error for the estimates.)
Branford’s Economic Stats
• It was among the towns that had “statistically significant increases the percent of all residents in poverty,” rising from 4.1 percent to 6.7 percent. Just eight towns experienced a decrease of residents in poverty.
• It was among the towns that showed an increase in the percentage of children under 18 living in poverty, rising from 4.6 percent to 10.4 percent. A total of 12 towns showed a decrease of children in poverty.
• And it was among the towns that showed a decrease in median income, adjusting for inflation, from $79,943 down to $70,075. Only three towns in Connecticut showed an increase in median household income.
Branford Counseling Center
Marcia Chambers Photo
Peter Cimino (pictured) is relatively new to the position as director of the Branford Counseling Center (BCC), but he’s not new to the concerns affecting Branford residents. Cimino has been there since August and worked with BCC 40 years ago, so he’s familiar with the resources and staff. He was with BHCare (formerly Harbor Health Services), which gave him solid footing in knowing how to tackle the needs of a community.
Cimino said recently that the Counseling Center received 3,500 calls during the most recent fiscal year; 250 were provided for. He finds there’s been no improvement in the last fiscal year.
“Some don’t follow up and there are limitations on what can be provided,” he explained. The numbers differ between actual calls and people willing to come in, he added.
Cimino said many clients are among the working poor, those working for minimum wage and have trouble making ends meet. They may be eligible for energy assistance through the program at Canoe Brook and assistance with payment of rent. Cimino explained that BCC will pay up to $500 toward a client’s rent; payment is through the landlord, adding that rents for mobile homes go for $650 to $1,000 a month, with the average apartment rental costing $1,000 a month.
People needing assistance come from a variety of areas throughout the town. No statistics are available on the number of homeless in Branford. Cimino said they either spend the night a shelter in New Haven or are housed in a motel.
BCC does have a program that offers assistance with furnace repairs. “We’re able to get furnaces fixed through HeatCares, which donates labor and parts at cost.” One furnace was taken are of this year and one last year.
BCC has also been helping people apply for insurance under the Affordable Care Act though AccessCT.
The Branford Counseling Center receives funding from a variety of sources, including fundraising. Cimino said $45,000 comes from the town budget; BCC received $10,000 from the Branford Community Foundation, $40,000 from BranfordCares, and donations from the Branford Road Race and the Branford Rotary Club.
“People are grateful,” he said. “For example, the Secret Santa program reached 600 individuals and 350 families. We’re more compassionate.”
The cutback in food stamps may be sending people back to the Branford Food Pantry.
Branford Food Pantry
Wendy Cowles, president of the Branford Food Pantry, said there’s been an increase in the number of people taking advantage of its services. “Absolutely, big time,” she said.
On a recent Friday in February, 65 families (consisting of 1 to 12 people) were helped. The pantry is limited to Branford residents. Cowles said she used to see the same 35 to 40 families two times a week, but many who have not come in a while are returning. She’s not sure if the cuts in the food stamp program have had an effect since people are qualified through the Branford Counseling Center. “We have heard some complaints,” she said. “Perhaps that’s why people are coming back.”
She has not seen an increase in the number of senior using the program and she wants to reach out to them; she believes they many often go to the Community Dining Room for the companionship.
Cowles said 60 percent of the pantry’s stock comes from the Connecticut Food Bank, where they’re also able to obtain produce at no cost or at a reduced rate. She said the churches are very generous; St. Mary’s recently donated 1,000 pounds of food. In addition, there are private donations through kids and scouts.
Also related to the problem of “food insecurity,” otherwise known as hunger, within the Branford schools, there’s been a steady increase in the number of children eligible for free or reduced price lunches. According to the State of Connecticut Department of Education, 18.8 percent were eligible (among all districts) in 2010-2011, the most recent years reported. That’s down a bit from 19 percent in 2009-2010, but higher than previous years: 2004-2005, 13.1 percent; 2005-2006 and 2006-2007, 12.6 percent; 2007-2008, 13.3 percent; 2008-2009, 17.7 percent.
Community Dining Room
Pat Kral, executive director of the Community Dining Room, said attendance increased by 6.6 percent in the last year and meal deliveries have increased by 11.8 percent; services have been extended to North Branford.
She said part of their job is to help people age in place. “Eating well is a critical part of feeling well.”
In the dining room, which is open to the whole shoreline, 1,000 meals are served a week. “It’s very busy, very well utilized,” Kral said, adding that there are more than 150 active volunteer and a dozen working in the kitchen at any given time. She said 250 were seated during a recent Wednesday, plus 70 for lunch. A Wednesday take-out dinner was offered a few years ago for those who prefer not to use the dining room, plus there’s now a Tuesday take-out in addition to the Tuesday family dinner, daily lunches and weekend meals.
They’re always in need of new volunteers and supplies, gallons of milk, and people interested in holding food drives.
Kral said few people are homeless. Most are hard workers who can’t make ends meet. “The middle class is in need of support… the community is in need of support,” she said.
By the way, the favorite meal at the Community Dining Room is macaroni and cheese. Kral said it’s made with a béchamel sauce and various cheeses.
Canoe Brook Energy Assistance
As with the other social service agencies in town, Marlowe Ioime, who administers the heating assistance program at the Canoe Brook Center, reports that many of her clients are working people who can’t make ends meet.
She said the numbers will be up from last year, but not as high as 2008-2009. However, the price of oil is higher, and what they can offer “barely helps.” Many people comment that they never thought they’d have to do this. Ioime said they are “one thing away from disaster… people don’t have any savings.”
Real Estate Foreclosures
Brad Whiteman of Coldwell Banker Realty said foreclosures and short sales are pretty consistent; the numbers certainly haven’t dropped. In Branford four single family homes and two condominiums are in stages of foreclosure.
He cited RealtyTrac’s November foreclosure, which found that Connecticut was among the top five states posting year-over-year increases in bank repossessions, ranking third among Delaware, Maryland, Maine, and Iowa.
For the past couple of years he has been involved in a program to help people deal with the ramifications of losing their homes. “It’s a strategy to help them look forward,” he said. “People are depressed. They’re in distress. In order to be their advocate you have to address that stuff.”
However, a large issue looms along Branford and the shoreline and that is the reclassification of FEMA maps and their effect on areas of Branford in newly drawn flood zones. The cost of the now-required flood insurance for those areas is affecting the cost of real estate in those areas and raising havoc with the budgets of existing homeowners. Click here to read our story.
As an example Whiteman cited at home priced at $230,000, a reasonable enough price. However, flood insurance was required and that cost $7,000 a year, which affected the marketability of the home. Whiteman said flood insurance for a condo along Limewood Avenue was priced at $22,000 a year, while it ran $50,000 on another waterfront property. “Even people on the high end are feeling the pinch,” he said. He noted that cash buyers do not need flood insurance because cash buyers are self-insured. Click here to read about it.
Whiteman said another looming problem is that the Mortgage Debt Relief Act of 2007 was not renewed. Homeowners whose properties were undervalued had the deficiency waived, but they may now be liable for income taxes on that amount. If you’re deferred $60,000, then must pay taxes on that amount, it’s a pretty big blow.
In general, he said, a lot of homes are overvalued. People are trying to sell them and the value isn’t there. Requirements are also more stringent for first-time buyers, so it’s harder to get loans. He added that he hadn’t noticed a lot of help from banks in refinancing existing mortgages.
No one knows for sure if or when the economy will return to its previous fiscal health. While many working people continue to struggle, Branford residents are fortunate to have a solid social services system in place to support them.
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