By: Felishka Ramirez, Research and Community Engagement Intern
On April 5, 2025, the Partnership for Strong Communities, in collaboration with the NAACP Robertsine Duncan Youth Council, Norwich Public Schools, Norwich Free Academy, the Center for Housing Opportunity of Eastern CT, and Sankofa Education and Leadership hosted a vibrant Community Housing Resource Fair, bringing together over 25 local and regional housing organizations to share vital information, services, and support with residents. The event offered families the opportunity to connect directly with housing specialists, financial institutions, and community advocates- all under one roof. While the adults engaged with service providers and attended sessions, children enjoyed painting, games, and snacks, creating a fun and welcoming space for all ages.
Attendees had the opportunity to attend three educational workshops. The first workshop was led by Lee-Ann Gomes, former Director of Norwich Human Services and a Norwich Fair Rent Commission (FRC) member. Ms. Gomes provided an overview of the Norwich FRC, which was established on June 5, 2023, to help resolve rental disputes between tenants and landlords.
Brian Boyaji, Business Development Officer from the CT Finance Authority, and Jerry Morgan from the Housing Development Fund shared an overview of the home buying process and the tools that potential buyers need to make informed decisions on their path to homeownership.
The last workshop featured Amy Peltier, Coalition and Advocacy Director from Partnership for Strong Communities, and Beth Sabilia, the Director of the Center for Housing Opportunity of Eastern Connecticut, who helped to educate attendees on current housing issues, the process residents can take to identify needs and solutions, and ways that they can engage in local advocacy.
The Housing Resource Fair was more than just an event – it was a celebration of collaboration, learning, and community care. By coming together to share resources and knowledge, Norwich continues to build a stronger, more connected future for all.
The fair was a fantastic opportunity to connect with residents, share resources, and collaborate with other organizations working toward the shared goal of expanding housing opportunities in Norwich. I truly appreciated the welcoming environment and the strong community turnout.” Michael J. Vaz, Executive Director, Thames River Community Service, Inc.
“I truly appreciate the invitation to participate in the Housing Event at NFA. I was able to meet many different organizations, learn a lot, and make some valuable contacts. Norwich’s population has boomed within the past couple of years, which makes it difficult to rent or buy. Knowing the key organizations to contact regarding our client’s needs is very important.” Yolette Senat, Jewish Federation
“I was able to make some great connections with folks I already knew and others that I had no idea about, so a win!” Jaime Parker, CAN Manager, TVCCA
“The housing fair was really good, although I am not old enough to buy a house it still gave me some information. I learned new vocabulary and learned that people in Norwich aren’t getting their buildings permit since it’s so expensive. This fair is beneficial to others since some people might not be educated on things such as housing and being uneducated leads to poor choices.” Rose Alcius, Student at the Norwich Free Academy
One of the event attendees shared the following feedback, “at the housing resources fair, I learned various resources and services related to buying, selling, renting, or finding housing, including information on educational opportunities, credit repair, and mortgage lenders. In my opinion, this event can be held every 6 months, I think. The community could learn more about housing and know the resources that are available for them.”
“As a volunteer, seeing individuals or families that were struggling when it came to wanting a home, the housing fair made it a perfect opportunity to help those in need. The housing fair gave information in order for one to gain knowledge of how housing worked in CT. There were so many amazing people and organizations that were there to aid those in need. The housing fair was a great opportunity to volunteer as it can give someone a new perspective of what people are going through and how you are able to help those people.” Sephora Dorvilus Student at the Norwich Free Academy
A heartfelt thank you to all the providers who volunteered their Saturday to help educate the community about the resources offered by their organizations and to the students of Norwich Free Academy, who generously volunteered to support the setup, logistics, and guest engagement throughout the event.
Services organizations included: City of Norwich Community Development, Human Services, and Planning & Neighborhood Services Dept.-Blight Division, Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, Access Community Action Agency, Coreplus FCU, Corporation for Supportive Housing, Housing Development Fund (HDF), First Community Mortgage, Centreville Bank, Webster Bank, Jewish Federation of Eastern Connecticut, Habitat for Humanity of Eastern Connecticut, Safe Futures, Thames River Community Service, Inc., City of Norwich Fair Rent Commission, Norwich Housing Authority, New London Homeless Hospitality Center, Thames Valley Council Community Action, Samson Tonton, Norwich Bully Busters. Their contributions helped ensure everything ran smoothly and added wonderful energy to the day.
This event was organized as part of the expanding housing opportunities to end child poverty initiative in Norwich, in partnership with the Norwich Public Schools, the Center for Housing Opportunity of Eastern Connecticut, Norwich Free Academy, NAACP Robertsine Duncan Youth Council, Sankofa Education and Leadership, and the Partnership for Strong Community.
Click here to find resources from the event!
