The center will provide short-tcerm interventions for people who are experiencing a crisis and need stabilization, serving as an alternative destination to hospitalizations or jail. The center will be staffed 24/7, 365 days per year, with a multidisciplinary team of psychiatrists, nurses, licensed clinicians and peers with lived experience, according to outgoing Department of Community Resilience Director Carlos Sosa-Lombardo. The center can accommodate up to ten patients at a time, Celeste Cremin-Endes, the Connecticut State Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services’ Chief of State-Operated Services told the News. 

The city has not yet announced the center, and Lenny Speiller, the city’s communications director, declined to give further details on the center’s opening until they are finalized.

Continuum of Care’s Vice President of Acute and Forensic Services John Labieniec, who will be spearheading the project with Program Director of Emergency Response Services Wanda Jofre, told the News that the center will be located in the Beaver Hills neighborhood and that the team hopes construction will be done by early April so that the center can begin operations later that month.

“Our community is struggling with a homeless crisis and with the rise in mental health needs during an emergency we need more alternatives other than ‘Yale or jail,’” Labieniec wrote to the News, referring to the Yale New Haven Hospital.

Labieniec said that the project began when Continuum received a grant to explore 24-hour community-based “therapeutic” stabilization centers around the country as alternative treatment centers to emergency rooms for individuals struggling with behavioral health issues.

Labieniec and Jofre, both licensed social workers, received grants from the state and New Haven, and are partnering with the Connecticut Mental Health Center, the City’s Department of Community Resilience, the Elm City COMPASS mobile crisis team and New Haven police. Labieniec specifically thanked Sosa-Lombardo for his involvement in the project, calling him “instrumental” in making the vision for a crisis stabilization center a reality.

Cremin-Endes explained that Continuum’s state contract was awarded through a Request for Proposal — or RFP — process, where the state solicited bids from organizations looking to take on a project similar to the REST Center. The highest-scoring bid is then given the opportunity to negotiate a contract.

She said that the state’s grant is intended to cover the cost of the center’s operations, while the grant from the city funds the center’s physical construction.

Jorge X. Camacho LAW ’10, a criminal justice and policing law scholar, noted the significance of the REST Center’s 24/7 care model. He said that despite hotlines like 2-1-1 — which connects callers to New Haven’s Coordinated Access Network — being available 24/7, the services to which operators can connect patients are often unavailable. 

Labieniec said that the REST center will follow a “living room model” — providing services in a non-institutional, home-like environment. 

According to Sosa-Lombardo, the center will accommodate individuals who may arrive by ambulance, police transport or from a crisis team like COMPASS. The crisis team, also founded as a partnership between the city and Continuum of Care, offloads specific cases, like mental health crises, from the city’s emergency service departments.

“The model is meant to partner with police and mobile crisis [teams] and serve as that alternative,” wrote Labieniec. “The idea is no one is turned away.”

Camacho said that the community-centered approach to intervention brings the sophisticated treatment that would normally only be available in acute care settings to the location where patients live, making the treatment process, for mental health issues or drug abuse, less isolating than typical forms of intervention.

He also emphasized a trend of increasing enthusiasm by police officials to collaborate with these types of crisis intervention methods.

“[Intervention] does not pose an existential threat to police officers, or policing in itself, but it can be seen as a really useful and beneficial supplement to the efforts of police officers to effectuate public safety,” Camacho said.

Crisis Stabilization Units — or CSUs — have risen in popularity throughout the country. The Wellmore Behavioral Health non-profit treatment provider in Waterbury currently operates a 24-hour Urgent Crisis Center for children. Three other pediatric CSUs currently operate in the state — at Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital, the Village for Families and Children in Hartford and the Child and Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut in New London — but each of the centers has placed a limit on daily capacity. When the REST Center begins operations, it will be the only such service for adults in Connecticut.

Continuum of Care was founded in 1966.

The post New 24-hour crisis intervention center planned for New Haven appeared first on Yale Daily News.

Pan, a former Massachusetts Institute of Technology researcher, will face 35 years in prison as part of his plea agreement. Pan is due back in court on April 25 for his disposition hearing, which will include his sentencing, according to court records.

Pan’s plea, entered in Superior Court in New Haven, concludes a case that made national headlines for the murder of a Yale student and the three-month-long manhunt that followed.

“I can’t say this brings the family justice. I hope it does,” New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson told the News Thursday evening. “I think a 35-year sentence is a large sentence … I hope this brings the family justice.”

Molly Arabolos, Pan’s attorney, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. New Haven State’s Attorney John P. Doyle Jr. also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Jiang, a 26-year-old student at the School of the Environment, was shot and killed on Feb. 6, 2021, in New Haven’s East Rock neighborhood. The shooting occurred just a week after he proposed to his fiance, Zion Perry GRD ’26, whom Pan knew at MIT. Police identified Pan as a person of interest on Feb. 10, but Pan evaded police until May 13, 2021, when he was detained by United States Marshalls in Montgomery, Alabama.

Pan had been held in custody for the past three years, as judges granted Pan and his attorneys multiple extensions to review evidence. In March 2022, Pan’s lawyer claimed that Pan was having difficulty reading through documents related to the case because he had limited access to the prison library. 

In September 2022, Pan’s attorney requested State Superior Court Judge Jon Alander LAW ’78 to order a “competency exam.” Results from the exam that Alander granted deemed Pan fit for trial in early November 2022.

Pan first faced evidence in court in December 2022 over two days of probable cause hearings. Several witnesses who testified at the hearings described how they saw Pan flee the scene in a SUV and forensic scientists testified that they had found evidence inside the SUV, further linking Pan to the crime scene.

“I hope to see justice soon,” Jiang’s mother Linda Liu told the News after the first probable cause hearing on Dec. 6, 2022. “Not for money or fame but for the truth.”

On Dec. 8, 2022, Alander ruled that there was probable cause linking Pan to Jiang’s murder. Two days after Alander’s ruling, Pan pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him.

In April 2023, Arabolos — a public defender — was assigned to Pan’s case, replacing his private criminal defense attorneys. Arabolos represented Pan at his hearing on Thursday, during which Pan pleaded guilty. 

Jacobson attributed the guilty plea to overwhelming evidence from the prosecutors that linked Pan to the murder.

“The justice system takes time for a reason,” Jacobson said. “I think the fact that he gave a plea shows you that we had an overwhelming case with lots of evidence. I’m proud of the work of the state’s attorney’s office who prepared for trial and gave them no other choice but to plead out.”

Pan’s sentencing hearing will take place on April 25 at the New Haven Courthouse at 235 Church St.

Nathaniel Rosenberg and Sophie Sonnenfeld contributed reporting.

The post Qinxuan Pan pleads guilty to murder of Kevin Jiang ENV ’22 appeared first on Yale Daily News.

On Thursday, New Haven’s NAACP branch unveiled the United States Postal Service’s 47th Black Heritage Stamp honoring Motley. The event was held at the Dixwell Community Center, also known as the Q House, and featured performances from several artists including St. Luke’s Steel Band, violinist John Randolph and Shades of Yale. In celebration of Motley’s life and legacy, the event culminated in an unveiling of this year’s stamp which is an intricate portrait of Motley designed by artist Charly Palmer.

“Inspiration. That is the first word that came to mind when I saw the new Black Heritage Month stamp honoring the late and great Constance Baker Motley,” Vanessa Roberts Avery, the U.S. attorney for the District of Connecticut said at the event.

Born and raised in New Haven, Motley left a lasting legacy in the city. After attending James Hillhouse High School, Motley worked for the National Youth Administration before matriculating at Fisk University, a historically Black university in Tennessee. 

After attending Columbia Law School, Motley served as a law clerk for Thurgood Marshall — the first Black Supreme Court justice — where she contributed to landmark cases like Brown v. Board of Education. One of the nation’s most influential civil rights leaders, Motley was the first Black woman elected to the New York State Senate in 1964. She was elected Manhattan borough president in 1965 before becoming the first Black woman to become a federal judge in 1966.

Motley received one of the NAACP’s most prestigious awards, the Spingarn Medal, at the 2003 NAACP National Convention and was an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, the nation’s first intercollegiate Black sorority.

Dori Dumas, the president of the Greater New Haven NAACP, noted that events like Thursday’s help to honor trailblazers who “paved the way.”

In addition to celebrating Motley’s life and achievements, the event also touched on New Haven’s history as a center for community and civil rights advocacy.

“It’s amazing to kick off Black History Month this way, and to reflect on the past,” New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said. “And I think more importantly, as Ms. Dumas said, reflect on the work that we have ahead of us.”

Elicker noted that 2024 marks the 165th anniversary of Hillhouse High School and the 100th Anniversary of the Q House.

Upon its founding, the Q House was intended to foster community life for New Haven’s predominantly Black community and served as a home base for initiatives like Connecticut’s first Black Girl Scout troop, after-school programming and civic forums. The location of Thursday’s ceremony was particularly significant, given that Motley frequented the Q House in her youth.

“This is a historic space, as Constance Baker Motley herself spent many days here,” Dumas said. “It was important that we had it here.”

Several other speakers noted the significance of celebrating Motley in New Haven. Constance L. Royster, Motley’s niece, even referred to the event as a “hometown celebration,” acknowledging the centrality of New Haven to Motley’s work. 

The Q House is located at 197 Dixwell Ave. 

The post Black Heritage Stamp honors New Havener Constance Baker Motley appeared first on Yale Daily News.

Two of three arbitration officers on the Connecticut State Board of Mediation and Arbitration voted to overturn the city’s termination of Diaz, who was fired in June of last year for his role in paralyzing Randy Cox, which sparked protests in New Haven. The panel ruled that Diaz was not responsible for Cox’s injuries and should return to his post with full pay after a 15-day unpaid suspension.

Cox, a 36-year-old Black man, was paralyzed in police custody after he was arrested by NHPD officers on June 19, 2022. While driving Cox to the Westchester Avenue substation, Diaz, who was speeding, stopped abruptly to avoid a crash and Cox slammed against the back of the police vehicle, which did not have seatbelts.

Diaz did not wait for an ambulance and instead took Cox to NHPD headquarters, where he was dragged out of the van and into a holding cell before receiving medical attention. Cox repeatedly told the five officers involved he could not move but was dismissed according to footage released by the NHPD. 

On Sept. 27, 2022, Cox filed a lawsuit for $100 million in damages against the city of New Haven and the five officers involved: Diaz, Betsy Segui, Ronald Pressley, Jocelyn Lavendier and Luis Rivera. The city settled the case for $45 million in June 2023, almost a year after Cox’s arrest, marking the largest settlement in a police misconduct case in United States history. 

After a criminal investigation conducted by Connecticut State Police, Diaz was charged in November 2022 with cruelty to persons and reckless endangerment in the second degree. Both criminal charges are still pending. The New Haven Board of Police Commissioners voted to fire Diaz on June 28, 2023, on the basis of violating several general orders. Diaz also has a pending decertification request at Connecticut’s State Police Officer Standards and Training Council.

After deciding that Diaz “did not commit all of the violations with which he was charged,” two of three members of the State Arbitration Panel ruled that the decision to terminate Diaz’s office lacked just cause.

The ruling claims that there is no evidence to prove Diaz’s actions resulted directly in Cox’s injuries and says that he treated Cox with respect. It also says that Diaz’s use of his phone while driving was a minor violation of a general order.

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker and New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson released a joint statement shortly after the ruling was publicized expressing their disagreement with the panel’s decision.

“​​We are incredibly disappointed and strongly disagree with the ruling by the Connecticut State Board of Mediation and Arbitration,” Elicker and Jacobson wrote. “We strongly believe the decision to terminate Officer Diaz was the right one, and the city will challenge the ruling by submitting a motion to vacate to the Connecticut Superior Court.”

Despite the ruling of the Arbitration Board for Diaz to return to the NHPD following a 15-day unpaid suspension, Diaz will not be reinstated as an officer due to his forthcoming criminal trial and motion to vacate. 

The News could not reach Diaz for comment and his lawyer, Jeffery Ment, did not respond to a request for comment.

“In the immediate term, the decision of this arbitration board clears a hurdle for the officer who’s seeking to be reinstated as a police officer and escape accountability for what happened to Randy Cox,” said Jorge Camacho, who is the policing, law and policy director of the Justice Collaboratory at Yale Law School. 

Camacho added that this arbitration ruling may have implications for Diaz’s criminal trial.

“The findings of the arbitration board are pursuant to a standard of evidence and burden of proof that is lower than what a criminal prosecution would need to result in a conviction,” Camacho said. “You would have to be even more certain of the conduct that this officer did to sustain a criminal conviction than to sustain his firing from the New Haven police department.”

Florencio Cotto, president of the New Haven Police Union, did not respond to the News’ request for comment.

The Connecticut State Board of Mediation and Arbitration is located at 38 Wolcott Hill Rd. in Wethersfield.

The post State board rules to reinstate police officer involved in paralyzing Randy Cox   appeared first on Yale Daily News.

The store, which opened on Friday, Nov. 24, is a part of the Shops at Yale, a collection of over 65 stores located in Downtown New Haven. Soulful Threads is the first second-hand vintage store in the Shops at Yale — and Jackson, who is from Connecticut, said she is excited to bring Soulful Threads’ unique offerings to the New Haven community.

“I’ve always loved fashion and clothing. I’ve always been the girl with the cute outfit. I grew up thrifting with my friends because we couldn’t afford anything at the mall,” Jackson said. “It’s the only thing that I’ve done consistently in my life and I’m happy to do again and again.”

The store features an array of pieces, largely drawing inspiration from 90s and early 2000s styles. The racks are lined with vintage graphic tees, flared jeans, camo cargo pants and brands like JNCO and Parasuco. 

Prior to opening the physical store, Jackson had been a seller on Depop, a popular app for selling second-hand clothing, since she was 16 years old. After graduating college and losing her first job due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Jackson returned to selling clothes and focused on growing the Soulful Threads brand. 

Jackson has lived in New Haven and New York, where she moved temporarily to expand Soulful Threads. Over the last few years, Jackson hosted at least twenty pop-up shops in New York and Connecticut, including six events in New Haven. 

“I think New Haven is really in its prime, and we don’t have anything like this store around here,” Jackson said. “After COVID I think a lot of young people moved over here because it’s just like a quaint little town, but we still have a lot of the things that a place like New York has to offer.”

David DelVecchio, director of real estate asset management for Yale University Properties, wrote that Soulful Threads brings new, innovative offerings to the community. 

DelVecchio highlighted the importance of having a female and minority-owned business as a part of the Shops at Yale, as they continue to seek a diverse group of tenants. 

Amanda Amparo Espinal, who works at the Soulful Threads store, mentioned the significance of it opening in Downtown New Haven.

“I hope that other people see this as a safe space. Not only that, [but also that] they find really cool unique pieces here and they feel confident in their clothes,” Espinal said.

One of the reasons Espinal chose to work at Soulful Threads was because of its focus on repurposing items and providing an outlet for self-expression for those who visit the shop. For that reason, the shop features an array of pieces and offers a 10 percent discount for all students year-round.

Jackson said that she has spent years building a brand that largely caters to young people and is centered around the preferences of Gen Z. Along with the revival of vintage styles, Jackson mentioned that something that sets younger people apart from other demographics is their greater concern with sustainability and buying second-hand items — as evidenced by the rise of platforms like Depop and vintage stores. 

“We’re the generations that honestly, like care the deepest about the earth, because, we’re the ones that are going to have to deal with everything when shit hits the fan with the earth,” Jackson said. 

Espinal noted that a large number of customers have come in since opening and found unique pieces in the racks, adding that she appreciates the environment of the shop and what it can bring to potential patrons.

Above all, Jackson said that Soulful Threads serves as a vehicle through which people can experiment with their styles and self-expression. 

“Wear whatever the fuck you want to wear, be whoever the fuck you want to be,” she said. “And if somebody gives you hate for it, just let that fuel your passion to be a little bit weirder tomorrow.”

Soulful Threads is located at 1022 Chapel St. 

The post Soulful Threads vintage store opens on Chapel appeared first on Yale Daily News.

The proposals span a variety of issues, but many seek to reform the current course registration process. Some key policies the YCC has put forward include expanding the permitted course load on Yale Course Search to 7.5 Credits from 5.5, improving academic advising for first years and extending the add/drop period.

Many students raised concerns not only with the course registration process but also with the advising system — both of which have remained a source of student ire in recent years. 

“There’s not a ton of guidance about course registration,” Irene Raich ’27 said. “Especially for [first years], no one tells you what you should do, and so I think it’s just super overwhelming.” 

In the past few years, the course registration process has undergone numerous reforms, including a recent add/drop period extension. This year, registration for the spring semester opens on Nov. 13 for the class of 2024, Nov. 14 for the class of 2025, Nov. 15 for the class of 2026 and Nov. 16 for the class of 2027. Organizing course registration by class year began last year. And prior to March 2021, Yale’s course registration took place during the weeks immediately preceding the semester — known as “shopping period” — but course registration now takes place a semester in advance. 

Echoing a similar sentiment to Raich, First-Year College Council representatives Carrie Lange ’27 and Paul Park ’27 both added that course registration for first years in particular was especially stressful this past fall because of its short timeline and a lack of University guidance. 

“I think Yale has the responsibility to support its students as much as possible,” Branford College Senator Birikti Kahsai ’27 said. “ It can be very stressful being in this environment. It’s very hard to navigate Yale, and so far, with the support that’s being offered, there’s a lot of room for improvement.”

In addition to course registration, students also expressed frustration with the lack of academic support through advising, particularly first-year advising, which has often been a source of discontent. First-year advisors are assigned through residential colleges and do not always match students’ academic interests. 

Raich and Kaylee Pierre ’27 both mentioned the need for more structured academic advising for freshmen — particularly the creation of more formal advising structures or more useful advising groups based on students’ intended majors and academic interests. 

“Academic advising could be great if, one, we had more time during add/drop to explore classes and, two, if we were able to choose our academic advisors,” Pierre said. “Because my advisor is not really tailored toward my interests, it’s not always the most helpful.”

Kyle Thomas Ramos ’26, the policy director of the academic policy team of the YCC, emphasized the need for greater flexibility in both the course registration process by extending add/drop period and allowing students to shop more classes on their course registration worksheet and throughout the semester by amending the Credit/D/Fail policy. 

Ramos was a lead on the proposals to extend the registration window for the class of 2027 in the fall and is a lead on a current proposal to expand the permitted course load on Yale Course Search. Although both of these proposals were approved unanimously by the Senate, he said that the former could not be implemented due to time constraints and implementation of the latter is in the discussion stage.

The YCC is currently working on an add/drop extension proposal, which has yet to be voted on by the senate, per their policy tracker. The current add/drop period lasts around eight days and takes place before the start of classes.

Lange also expressed an interest in the extended add/drop period. Pierre had a similar view about the course preference selection period this semester. The period ran from Wednesday, Nov. 1 to Friday, Nov. 3, compared to the six-day preference selection period over the summer, which ran from Aug. 8 to Aug. 14.  

He added that the proposal to expand the number of permitted credits on a student’s registration worksheet would enable students to shop more classes and explore their options before settling on a final schedule. 

Similarly, he said that allowing retroactive Credit/D/Fail, another current proposal approved by the YCC Senate, would better foster academic exploration compared to the current system. 

The YCC has long worked to reform the Credit/D/Fail policy. The current policy allows students to Credit/D/Fail classes until 5 p.m. on the last day of classes.

When asked about potential reforms presented previously by the YCC, Dean of Yale College Pericles Lewis expressed concern that retroactive Credit/D/Fail would lead to students putting little effort into their coursework. 

“The proposal would allow an individual to see their final grade before deciding whether or not they’d like to Credit/D/Fail it because we realized that a lot of students, right before a final, will choose to Credit/D/Fail because they’re afraid of possibly not doing well on the final exam,” Ramos said. “We don’t think that credit to fail should be turned into essentially some sort of academic game.”

Although no policy changes have been made to course registration, Ramos underscored the importance of students making their voices heard by the YCC so their perspectives can be reflected in the policies the YCC develops. 

Whether students exercise their views by taking the YCC’s Fall Survey or by reaching out to individuals on the YCC, he emphasized the importance of cultivating a greater connection between the student body and the YCC.

“No big changes to report about registration, which is unchanged this semester,” Senior Associate Dean of Strategic Initiatives and Communications Paul McKinley wrote in a statement to the News. “We want to let the current process settle before making any adjustments, although the goal is to fine-tune it so that it runs smoothly.” 

In addition to the YCC’s current proposals to reform course registration, they are also discussing the addition of certificates for Economics, Directed Studies, Geography and American Sign Language.

The YCC’s policy tracker can be accessed here.

The post YCC proposes changes to course registration, advising, Credit/D/Fail appeared first on Yale Daily News.

On Sunday, Oct. 22, at the annual BagelFest, Olmo received three prizes — Best of the Fest, Best Schmear for their limited-edition Yuzu Kosho Schmear, and Best Beyond the Boroughs as the best non-New York bagelry in the competition. 

“This year I said we’re coming to win,” Craig Hutchinson, the founder of Olmo, said. “We want to show up, we want to make New Haven proud, and we want to focus on how our brand is centered on hospitality and on being kind to people. Mission accomplished.”

Olmo competed at BagelFest for the first time in 2022, winning the runner-up for best bagel. BagelFest founder, Sam Silverman, reached out to Hutchinson and the Olmo team in 2022 to learn more about the unique processes and ingredients behind their bagels.

The bagelry uses a different dough, seeding process and baking process — steaming their bagels instead of boiling them — than most shops. Olmo’s unique flavors, such as the “Everything Everything” bagel, a favorite of Silverman’s, also set them apart from their competitors.

“We’re not a New York bagel, we’re the New Haven bagel,” Raphael Bastek, the shop director of Olmo, said.

Olmo originally opened as a sit-down restaurant in 2018 with a bagel shop operating out of its basement, producing 100 to 200 bagels a day. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the restaurant transitioned to a quick-service model and now produces upwards of 3,500 bagels a day. 

Despite the transition to faster service compared to its pre-pandemic setup, Olmo remains focused on hospitality and ensuring every customer has a good experience. 

“They really care about what the customer is consuming. Everyone is so nice, and there’s a really personal feel in the store and when everyone is interacting with you,” Casey Arias ’27 said. 

Olmo’s emphasis on the customer experience also contributed greatly to its success at BagelFest, Silverman said.

The winner of the “Best of the Fest” prize is determined by judges’ and attendees’ votes, which are weighed equally. Beyond the quality of their bagels, Silverman said that their rare ability to connect with customers in a fast-paced service environment played a big role in their win. 

“The team works incredibly hard around the clock to make customers happy through either taking a bite of their bagels, sipping their coffee, or just simply making them smile in the morning,” Hutchinson said.

Olmo is a staple spot for New Haven residents and Yale students alike, sporting the title of being “a second dining hall to Yale” among the Olmo staff, given that a large portion of their clientele is students, according to Bastek.

With Olmo’s back-to-back appearances in the last two BagelFests, the shop has garnered traffic from New Yorkers and Connecticut residents beyond New Haven. 

“There are people coming into the shop saying they either heard about us at BagelFest or saw us on the news since — even people traveling from New York specifically to try us out,” Bastek said. “It feels like we are beginning a legacy, how New Haven pizza is its own staple, we hope to do the same with bagels.”

Despite this rising popularity, Olmo remains a uniquely New Haven brand. In contrast to the expansion of New Haven staples like Sally’s Apizza and Frank Pepe’s, Olmo does not plan to grow the business outside of its Whitney Avenue location.

Hutchinson said that developing the iconic New Haven bagel brand would be a long project, but one they hope to accomplish.

Olmo is located at 93 Whitney Ave.

The post Olmo bagelry wins grand prize at BagelFest appeared first on Yale Daily News.

According to New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker, the bill — which was passed in June — is “one component” of several government policies aimed at addressing affordable housing. 

The omnibus bill, titled the Substitute Senate Bill No. 988, includes provisions that went into effect on Oct. 1. These provisions eliminate application fees for apartments, require landlords to more promptly return tenants’ security deposits, prohibit small landlords from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation, increase landlord fines for housing code violations and set new limits on charging fees for overdue rent.

These limits will establish a short grace period during which landlords cannot charge tenants late fees. Landlords will also restrict late fees to one of the following two options: either up to $5 per day for a total of no more than $50, or up to 5 percent of the tenant’s share of overdue rent.

“[The way] to really aid the housing crisis in Connecticut, specifically in New Haven, would be more funding,” said Julianne Harwood ’26, a senior fellow working in the housing branch of Yale College Democrats. “We just need more housing.” 

City officials have said that these changes will alleviate pressure on prospective renters as they search for homes, particularly in light of ongoing shortages in the Connecticut housing market. The vacancy rate for rental units in Connecticut is currently at a record low, hovering around 2.1 percent as of last August, leaving few available units for potential renters. Shortage of available units has led rental rates to increase, making affordable housing across the state scarce. 

In an interview with the News, Elicker discussed the bill in the context of rising pressures within the state housing market. He said that landlords in New Haven often take advantage of rising rental rates by not properly maintaining apartments, knowing that it is increasingly difficult for tenants to move out and find alternative locations to live.

Elicker said that increased fines capped at $2,000 for violating housing codes may help “incentivize compliance” among landlords to decrease the number of housing code violations in the city. According to Elicker, the city’s housing court has been effective in enforcing penalties for housing code violations, but higher fines across the board, he said, serve as an “additional tool.”

According to Connecticut Public Radio, New Haven’s Livable City Initiative received nearly 6,000 housing code complaints between May 2022 and May 2023.

Elicker also said that other provisions of the bill, such as strengthening anti-discrimination laws and limiting additional fees, will also help alleviate potential burdens on tenants.

Co-Vice President of the Blake Street Tenants Union Mark Washington said that the bill is a “huge start” to helping potential tenants in New Haven find homes. 

“Application fees are a huge barrier for people already struggling to get by,” he said. 

Washington said that the bill’s elimination of these fees will assist renters in their search for affordable housing. He said that mega-landlords sometimes do not tell tenants why they were denied housing, leading tenants to be denied multiple times and paying various application fees without ever obtaining housing.

Several advocates in favor of the original bill discussed its influence on renters living in mobile homes. In a testimony supporting S.B. No. 988 in February, State Representative and bill sponsor Mary Mushinsky wrote that it would give mobile homeowners “equal rights as homeowners.” The bill, she added, will also set up a process for residents to collectively purchase mobile home parks with the help of the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority.

In her testimony, Mushinsky explained that investors and developers across the nation are buying out mobile home parks and consequently evicting elderly residents.

“I don’t see any other way for these residents to protect their homes if the Housing Committee and the legislature doesn’t pass SB 988,” Mushinsky wrote.

Other provisions of the bill, which will go into effect in 2024, will establish a class of individuals, including those with physical or intellectual disabilities, who are protected against certain evictions and rent increases. The bill will also require that the Connecticut Judicial Department remove online eviction records from cases that were withdrawn, dismissed or decided in favor of the tenant — which can make it more difficult for tenants to find new housing.

Elicker noted New Haven’s efforts to construct more affordable housing units and expand security deposit assistance programs as well as home ownership programs in New Haven.

“This is a great step forward, but it’s not a solution,” Harwood said.

Substitute Senate Bill No. 988 was passed on June 29, 2023.

Correction, Oct. 29: A previous version of this article had the word “provisions” instead of “revisions” in the subhead.

The post Bill expands renters protections in Connecticut appeared first on Yale Daily News.

This weekend, Yale’s annual tradition returned for the second time since the COVID-19 pandemic prompted a two-year hiatus in 2020 and 2021. The weekend featured events — from faculty lectures to brunches to sports games — giving families a window into the lives of Yale students. 

Several events were livestreamed for those who were unable to attend in person.

“My first two years, there actually wasn’t a family weekend because of COVID,” Josh Guo ’24 said. “It’s a really special way for parents to get a glimpse into our lives here on campus and the types of work that we do. You can try and describe the different parts of Yale as much as you want to your parents, but nothing compares to seeing it firsthand.”

Friday’s events included several faculty lectures, including biology professor John Carlson’s lecture on microorganisms and the human body and history professor Marci Shore’s lecture on the war in Ukraine. The day also featured a panel on teaching moderated by Yale College Dean Pericles Lewis as well as events hosted by Trans@Yale and the Office of LGBTQ Resources. 

Yale’s various performing arts organizations also demonstrated their work to parents and loved ones on Friday. Events included a student-run show by the Yale Dramatic Association, a spoken word performance by WORD and a show by Three’s Company, a collaboration between three of Yale’s dance groups. 

“We’re super proud and blessed that our new members are buying in and feeling homogenized with the group,” said Prentiss Patrick-Carter ’26, producer of the sketch comedy group Red Hot Poker. “We’re grateful for everybody who came out to our show, especially the people that brought their parents to listen to jokes on Friday night.”

In addition to Red Hot Poker’s Friday show, student comedy groups 5H Sketch Comedy, Just Add Water and Purple Crayon all held productions over the weekend.

Comedy groups largely focused their performances on welcoming new taps, celebrating their newest additions alongside family and friends.

“It being our first performance, especially with parents and your friends’ parents in the audience, performing felt very fun and enjoyable,” Purple Crayon member Miles Kirkpatrick ’27 told the News. 

Ranging from a Gala Concert at Woolsey Hall featuring three undergraduate performing groups to the Whiffenpoofs and Whim ’n Rhythm show, several of Yale’s a cappella groups and orchestras put on concerts from Friday to Sunday, many of whom made their season debuts this Family Weekend. 

While bigger events showcased large organizations on campus, several events also provided places for smaller Yale clubs to connect with families.  

“The [planning process] is a little bit different for Family Weekend because there’s this question of, ‘How do we reach the right audience?’” said Yale Dhvani founder Maanasa Nandigam ’25. 

The weekend also included events for families and students to gain exposure to Yale’s various resources and communities, including receptions with Heads of College, dinners and showcases at cultural centers and events with alumni groups. On Saturday, the Native American Cultural Center, the Joseph Slifka Center for Jewish Life at Yale, the Afro-American Cultural Center and 1stGenYale planned events specifically for families to get to know the organizations. 

Sofia Jacobson ’26, a part of the Women’s Leadership Initiative at Yale, emphasized that Family Weekend is a “great opportunity” for clubs to show and celebrate their work. On Sunday, the Women’s Leadership Initiative kicked off its mentorship program in partnership with YaleWomen, an alumni association. 

Kirkpatrick mentioned that while the sheer number of events taking place this weekend can be hectic, Family Weekend offers a unique chance for students to show families an aspect of their lives that they do not have much access to otherwise.

Above all, students articulated that Family Weekend serves as many students’ first opportunity to see and reconnect with relatives. Guo, Jacobson and Kirkpatrick mentioned that for first-years making the move to Yale, Family Weekend is especially important. 

“Yale is a very special world and a very special community. It feels really awesome that I’m able to share it even just for a weekend,” said Jacobson. 

Yale’s first-year class hails from 68 different countries and represents students from 53 U.S. states and territories.

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In total, 23.7 percent of New Haven Democrats cast their votes either in person or through an absentee ballot in the Sept. 12 election. Democrats in the city cast 7,900 ballots out of 33,377 registered voters, compared to 12,348 New Haven Democrats who voted in the last contested Democratic mayoral primary race in 2019. 

Turnout was especially low in wards with large Yale student populations. In Ward 1, which includes eight residential colleges and Old Campus, only 49 of 681 registered Democrats — about 7 percent — voted in the primary. In Ward 22, which encompasses six residential colleges, the Democratic primary election turnout was higher than in the city’s overall average turnout by ward. Still, the ward reached only 237 votes, which represented 28 percent of eligible voters. 

“It was clear by the overwhelming support from the people that did vote, that people were not interested in changing directions,” incumbent mayor Justin Elicker, who secured the Democratic nomination in the primary, told the News. “Oftentimes people are driven to vote if they are interested in big change.”

Aaron Goode ’04, a founder of the New Haven Votes Coalition, attributed low turnout in this year’s primaries partly to the lack of viable challengers among candidates. Elicker won the mayoral primary with over 70 percent of the votes. In 2017, when then-mayor Toni Harp defeated mayoral challenger Marcus Paca with a similar margin, 7,765 people voted in the election, which was close to the same number of voters this year. 

Only six of 30 alder races had a contested Democratic primary, which also lowered the overall turnout. On average, 36 percent of Democrats in the wards with alder primaries voted in the primary. In the wards without a contested primary election for the ward’s alder, turnout was only 18 percent. 

In the six wards with contested alder races, less competitive alder races saw lower turnout. In Ward 22, where incumbent Alder Jeanette Morrison won with an 82.7 percent majority, turnout was 28 percent. By contrast, Fair Haven’s Ward 15, which resulted in a contentious upset of incumbent Ernie Santiago, turnout was 40 percent.

Following Connecticut’s 2022 redistricting after the 2020 census, some New Haven residents were assigned to new districts. Goode told the News that some individuals showed up to the polling places assigned to their old districts, only to wait in line to vote and then be redirected to another location. He said he believes this was another major cause of low turnout this year. 

Goode also pointed to Connecticut’s rigorous petition verification process as being a barrier for candidates to run. Mayoral challengers Shafiq Abdussabur and Tom Goldenberg both failed to petition their way onto the primary ballot, after many of their petition signatures were rejected by the City Clerk. 

“I think a lot of his supporters didn’t vote because he wasn’t on the ballot,” Goode said of Abdussabur. 

The only successful challenger in the Democratic primary races across the city was Ward 15 alder candidate Frank Redente Jr., who won with a 64.9 percent majority. 

While Elicker told the News that he was happy about his overwhelming win, he also emphasized the importance of students being engaged voters. 

“Yale students are a part of our community and they should engage in the community in elections and in many other ways,” Elicker said.

The News reached out to more than two dozen students to ask why they did not vote in the primary. Some chose to stay registered in their home states where they said that elections were more competitive. Others said they either did not know about the primary election or did not feel informed enough to make a decision on the candidates. 

Sydney Morrison ’25, a registered Democrat in Ward 1, told the News she did not hear about the Democratic primary in New Haven. 

“The biggest political thing that I care about is psychedelic decriminalization,” Morrison told the News. “And if that’s not happening in a city, I tend to not really care who gets elected.”

Mpilo Norris ’24 registered as a voter in New Haven when he moved from Maryland for college because he wanted to stay involved in local politics. Despite being registered, he did not vote in the most recent Democratic primary. 

Norris explained that he did not vote because he did not properly research the primary candidates.

“I didn’t think I was well informed enough to actually go ahead and vote and make a decision,” Norris said.

Drake Christianson ’27 recently moved to New Haven and decided to register to vote in the Elm City instead of in his home state of Pennsylvania as he wanted to be involved in decisions that affect Yale. 

Christianson told the News that moving to college and adapting to his new life was time consuming. Despite initially planning to vote, he said that he had no time to research primary candidates, but intends to vote in the general election in November.

The general election will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 7.

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