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Combatting homelessness: Advocates build 6 tiny homes in a New Haven backyard

City leaders have given builders a cease-and-desist letter, citing several violations.

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A new initiative in New Haven is testing the waters on housing the homeless. Within a few hours this week, six tiny homes were brought to the Rosette St. backyard of the Amistad Catholic Worker. For decades, the faith-based community has been providing warm meals and hospitality for those who need it.

Now, eight people who were living in tents in their backyard have their own home for the first time in a long time.

“These tiny homes, these meant hope,” said Suki Godek, who moved into one of the tiny homes on Tuesday.

Godek is one of many who were evicted from an encampment dubbed “Tent City” earlier this year after the city deemed the property to be unsafe. Since April, Godek and her husband have been staying at the Amistad.

“This is the first time that it’s actually felt like home. That we’ve had our own privacy and it gives you back that sense of dignity and that sense of being part of a neighborhood and part of a community,” Godek said.

“What we wanted to do was set up a model of what a supported encampment could look like,” said Mark Colville, a resident member of the Amistad Catholic Worker.

Colville and others involved in the Rosette Neighborhood Village Collective have been dreaming of the “tiny home” model since the beginning of this year. After raising $123,000, they bought the tiny homes and brought them to their yard on Saturday. Within hours, they were ready to go.

“We need models of transitional housing where people can live independently, and then move on. Have, as I like to say, have two feet on the ground for which they can fight their way out of poverty,” Colville said.

But the problem is, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said, they’re not using the proper protocol.

“It came to our attention and we reached out to them saying, you can’t do this without zoning approval and without a building permit,” Elicker said.

On Tuesday, the city sent the folks at the neighborhood collective a cease-and-desist order, asking them to take the tiny homes down. On Friday, another letter was sent by the building department. Building officials noted the 203 Rosette St. location had, “Several pallet Shelters Erected on property as well as a noncompliant fence without the required permit (s) and approval (s). Concerns of fire resistant rated construction Solid fuel heating sources without smoke or CO detection. No sanitation of WPCA approvals or services. No utility (electrical, mechanical, plumping) approvals or hookups).”

The letter orders the residents to vacate immediately until approval is granted by the office. It also states they must get permits immediately after getting this second letter.

Elicker said if they don’t comply, the next step will involve litigation.

“We want to make sure people are safe. We want to facilitate more affordable housing but people have to follow the law like everyone else in the city does,” Elicker said.

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Elicker said he and the Amistad have the same goal: to support the unhoused and create more affordable housing. He referenced several initiatives the city has invested in including the recent purchase of a hotel to house at least 112 unhoused individuals.

“The structures are not allowed within the zoning code. They do not have building permits, and that’s not okay because every property owner in the city is required to follow a process when they want to build a structure that may not be allowed in the zoning code,” Elicker said.

But Colville reiterated they’re not going down without a fight.

“This is a neighborhood solution to homelessness. The question that the whole neighborhood is asking now is, will the city become a full partner with it? Or will they criminalize it and try to evict it?" said Colville.  

Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com Follow her on FacebookX and Instagram.

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