{"id":379,"date":"2025-06-01T05:03:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-01T09:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/hartford-north-end-chronic-flooding-sewage\/?p=379"},"modified":"2025-07-02T12:29:42","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T16:29:42","slug":"379","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/hartford-north-end-chronic-flooding-sewage\/2025\/06\/01\/379\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue Hills Civic Association Helped Hundreds Get Flood Grants Before Hitting Financial Trouble"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n

By Charlotte Harvey and Sofia Acosta
UConn Journalism<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Until April 2025, many peo\u00adple thought Blue Hills Civic Association (BHCA) was a bless\u00ading to Hartford and its cit\u00adi\u00adzens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The orga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtion led a very impor\u00adtant role in the flood com\u00adpen\u00adsa\u00adtion pro\u00adgram run out of the State Comptroller\u2019s office. The pro\u00adgram paid for back\u00adflow pre\u00adven\u00adters and other fixes to stop com\u00adbined sewage over\u00adflows from enter\u00ading peo\u00adple\u2019s hous\u00ades in the city\u2019s North End neigh\u00adborh\u00adods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BHCA pub\u00adli\u00adcized the pro\u00adgram and helped res\u00adi\u00addents com\u00adplete and sub\u00admit appli\u00adca\u00adtions to receive com\u00adpen\u00adsa\u00adtion from the fund.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, the non-profit\u2019s future is in des\u00adper\u00adate straits, with even its web\u00adsite down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first real signs of col\u00adlapse hap\u00adpened on April 8, 2025, when there was an email sent out to staff mem\u00adbers inform\u00ading them of their imme\u00addi\u00adate ter\u00admi\u00adna\u00adtion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The state gov\u00adern\u00adment ter\u00admi\u00adnat\u00aded its fund\u00ading of the orga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtion after learn\u00ading of a $300 thou\u00adsand loss of fund\u00ading last year to theft by wire fraud when scammed by some\u00adone fraud\u00adu\u00adlent\u00adly alleg\u00ading to be one of their part\u00adners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The theft occurred in October 2024 and was dis\u00adcov\u00adered by staff when con\u00adtact\u00aded by the real part\u00adner orga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtion in December of the same year to inform them they never received funds. BHCA informed the gov\u00adern\u00adment about the theft in March of this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ter\u00admi\u00adna\u00adtion of the fund\u00ading was as a result of that three-month delay in noti\u00adfy\u00ading the gov\u00adern\u00adment. A con\u00adtrac\u00adtu\u00adal agree\u00adment required them to noti\u00adfy state offi\u00adcials with\u00adin two weeks of any sus\u00adpect\u00aded theft, accord\u00ading to an April 2025 CT Insider arti\u00adcle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prior to this, though, the state gov\u00adern\u00adment pro\u00advid\u00aded fund\u00ading to the orga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtion in order to run their com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty pro\u00adgrams and to com\u00adpen\u00adsate them for work they did in col\u00adlab\u00ado\u00adra\u00adtion with state agen\u00adcies. According to a tax state\u00adment in 2022, 85% of the nonprofit\u2019s rev\u00adenue was derived from state grants. Over the last two years the group has received about $13 mil\u00adlion in fund\u00ading. They were ordered to return any of these funds that have not yet been spent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to a report<\/a> on the com\u00adpen\u00adsa\u00adtion pro\u00adgram pub\u00adlished and dis\u00adtrib\u00aduted by State Comptroller Sean Scanlon\u2019s office, BHCA received $150,000 from the office of the state comp\u00adtrol\u00adler for its efforts in imple\u00adment\u00ading and sup\u00adport\u00ading the flood com\u00adpen\u00adsa\u00adtion pro\u00adgram. That amount makes up only half of what the orga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtion lost in the scam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report is quot\u00aded as say\u00ading, \u201cAnother com\u00adpo\u00adnent that was statu\u00adto\u00adri\u00adly required was the use of Blue Hills Civic Association (BHCA) for out\u00adreach and appli\u00adca\u00adtion assis\u00adtance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Madi Cjeska, spokesper\u00adson for the Office of the Comptroller, said the statute cre\u00adat\u00ading the flood com\u00adpen\u00adsa\u00adtion pro\u00adgram dic\u00adtat\u00aded that BHCA was used for mar\u00adket\u00ading, com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adca\u00adtions and out\u00adreach for the flood pro\u00adgram.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
This poster on how to apply for flood-relief grants from the state of Connecticut had applicants consult with the Blue Hills Civic Association on Albany Avenue. The association abruptly closed after losing $300,000 to an apparently unrelated online theft a few months after the state grants were paused in late 2024. Screenshot from https:\/\/osc.ct.gov\/HartfordFlood\/<\/p>\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/hartford-north-end-chronic-flooding-sewage\/files\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-25-at-4.54.57\u202fPM-787x1024.png\" src=\"http:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/hartford-north-end-chronic-flooding-sewage\/files\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-25-at-4.54.57\u202fPM-787x1024.png\" alt class=\"wp-image-378\" style=\"width:700px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/hartford-north-end-chronic-flooding-sewage\/files\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-25-at-4.54.57\u202fPM-787x1024.png 787w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/hartford-north-end-chronic-flooding-sewage\/files\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-25-at-4.54.57\u202fPM-231x300.png 231w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/hartford-north-end-chronic-flooding-sewage\/files\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-25-at-4.54.57\u202fPM-115x150.png 115w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/hartford-north-end-chronic-flooding-sewage\/files\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-25-at-4.54.57\u202fPM-768x999.png 768w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/hartford-north-end-chronic-flooding-sewage\/files\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-25-at-4.54.57\u202fPM.png 1044w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 787px) 100vw, 787px\">
This poster on how to apply for flood-relief grants from the state of Connecticut had appli\u00adcants con\u00adsult with the Blue Hills Civic Association on Albany Avenue. The asso\u00adci\u00ada\u00adtion abrupt\u00adly closed after los\u00ading $300,000 to an appar\u00adent\u00adly unre\u00adlat\u00aded online theft a few months after the state grants were paused in late 2024. Screenshot from https:\/\/osc.ct.gov\/HartfordFlood\/<\/a><\/sub><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cWorking close\u00adly with the OSC and Dr. Rhule, BHCA was an inte\u00adgral part of the program\u2019s suc\u00adcess. I wish to thank all who knocked on doors, answered calls, and han\u00addled daily drop in vis\u00adits,\u201d states that same report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The dis\u00adcov\u00adery of the theft of money in December 2024 also coin\u00adcid\u00aded with the end\u00ading of the flood com\u00adpen\u00adsa\u00adtion pro\u00adgram, which had a due date for appli\u00adca\u00adtions of November 1 of 2024. \u201cOur agency wasn\u2019t aware of that prior to the news break\u00ading,\u201d Cjeska said about the theft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While BHCA\u2019s web\u00adsite is cur\u00adrent\u00adly down and may be for the fore\u00adsee\u00adable future, it is still acces\u00adsi\u00adble through inter\u00adnet archives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In December 2024 BHCA said on its web\u00adsite that it is \u201cHartford\u2019s old\u00adest civic orga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtion,\u201d hav\u00ading been estab\u00adlished in 1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBHCA serves as a cat\u00ada\u00adlyst to inspire vibrant, healthy, civi\u00adcal\u00adly engaged res\u00adi\u00addents and lead\u00aders who are sup\u00adport\u00aded by strong schools, cul\u00adtur\u00adal\u00adly com\u00adpe\u00adtent health care, eco\u00adnom\u00adic equal\u00adi\u00adty and safe neigh\u00adbor\u00adhoods,\u201d it stat\u00aded on its \u201cAbout\u201d page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the page, their work is com\u00adposed of orga\u00adniz\u00ading, advo\u00adca\u00adcy, and multi-gen\u00ader\u00ada\u00adtional pro\u00adgrams with the goal of cre\u00adat\u00ading sta\u00adble and attrac\u00adtive neigh\u00adbor\u00adhoods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their archived page list\u00aded 18 com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty pro\u00adgrams as part of its 2024 Impact Programs, includ\u00ading things like \u201c620-plus stu\u00addents received hol\u00adi\u00adday gift cards,\u201d \u201c120+ Families received home vis\u00adits,\u201d and at least 45 stu\u00addents receiv\u00ading sup\u00adport from BHCA\u2019s clin\u00adi\u00adcal social work\u00ader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kelvin Lovejoy, a staff mem\u00adber who said he had worked for Blue HIlls for 18 years, the last eight as direc\u00adtor of com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty orga\u00adniz\u00ading and out\u00adreach, said the orga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtion pro\u00advid\u00aded a great ben\u00ade\u00adfit to the com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a mantra that we have when peo\u00adple ask us about our work. We say, \u2018We work with youth to con\u00adnect with fam\u00adi\u00adlies to change com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adties,\u2019 \u201d Lovejoy said. \u201cSo it\u2019s a multi\u00adgen\u00ader\u00ada\u00adtional approach that we have, and we believe in the con\u00adcept of \u2018it takes a vil\u00adlage to raise a child.\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In November 2024, BHCA had a tab on the web\u00adsite with infor\u00adma\u00adtion about the flood com\u00adpen\u00adsa\u00adtion pro\u00adgram and inform\u00ading vis\u00adi\u00adtors to the site about the pro\u00adgram and how to apply. In December, after the due date of appli\u00adca\u00adtions, the tab had been taken down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BHCA list\u00aded itself as the point of con\u00adtact for appli\u00adcants in both the in-per\u00adson process, the mail-in process, and obtain\u00ading an appli\u00adca\u00adtion by email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lovejoy said BHCA was inter\u00adest\u00aded in get\u00adting involved with the grant pro\u00adgram because of obvi\u00adous sys\u00adtemic injus\u00adtice caus\u00ading the com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty to suffer\u2014and the desire to change that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe helped to con\u00adnect for dis\u00adtri\u00adb\u00adu\u00adtion the $5 mil\u00adlion that came through the flood com\u00adpen\u00adsa\u00adtion, but what he heard was some very trag\u00adic sto\u00adries. We saw peo\u00adple trau\u00adma\u00adtized. We saw an injus\u00adtice in the sys\u00adtem in which we have,\u201d Lovejoy said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Lovejoy also rec\u00adog\u00adnized the good that came out of the pro\u00adgram and BHCA\u2019s involve\u00adment in that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe also saw quite a few happy end\u00adings because of those dol\u00adlars because of the con\u00adnec\u00adtion, because of the engage\u00adment through Blue Hills Civic Association, folks were able to have their homes repaired.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of right now, accord\u00ading to Cjeska, the comptroller\u2019s office con\u00adtin\u00adues to appre\u00adci\u00adate the work that BHCA did in the work they did regard\u00ading the flood com\u00adpen\u00adsa\u00adtion pro\u00adgram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI mean, I wouldn\u2019t say that because of what\u2019s hap\u00adpen\u00ading now that they weren\u2019t extreme\u00adly help\u00adful in mak\u00ading sure that we reached as many Hartford res\u00adi\u00addents as pos\u00adsi\u00adble,\u201d Cjeska said, refer\u00adring to the cur\u00adrent sit\u00adu\u00ada\u00adtion BHCA finds them\u00adselves in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the same way that it is unclear whether or not more money will be allo\u00adcat\u00aded through the bud\u00adgetary process to con\u00adtin\u00adue the com\u00adpen\u00adsa\u00adtion pro\u00adgram, it was unclear as of spring 2025 whether Blue Hills Civic Association would oper\u00adate again.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Charlotte Harvey and Sofia AcostaUConn Journalism Until April 2025, many peo\u00adple thought Blue Hills Civic Association (BHCA) was a bless\u00ading to Hartford and its cit\u00adi\u00adzens. The orga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtion led a very impor\u00adtant role in the flood com\u00adpen\u00adsa\u00adtion pro\u00adgram run out of the State Comptroller\u2019s office. The pro\u00adgram paid for back\u00adflow pre\u00adven\u00adters and other fixes to\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1091,"featured_media":1117,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[20],"class_list":["post-379","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-grant-program","tag-grant-program"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/hartford-north-end-chronic-flooding-sewage\/files\/2025\/06\/bhca-e1750703700941.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/hartford-north-end-chronic-flooding-sewage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/379","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/hartford-north-end-chronic-flooding-sewage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/hartford-north-end-chronic-flooding-sewage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/hartford-north-end-chronic-flooding-sewage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1091"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/hartford-north-end-chronic-flooding-sewage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=379"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/hartford-north-end-chronic-flooding-sewage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/379\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1118,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/hartford-north-end-chronic-flooding-sewage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/379\/revisions\/1118"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/hartford-north-end-chronic-flooding-sewage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1117"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/hartford-north-end-chronic-flooding-sewage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=379"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/hartford-north-end-chronic-flooding-sewage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=379"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/hartford-north-end-chronic-flooding-sewage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=379"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}