New Haven Independent: No Bees Need Apply

No Bees Need Apply

by Melinda Tuhus | May 29, 2008 2:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

A failed condo complex on Sherman Parkway will be transformed into 34 “supportive” homes for people with HIV. Former residents have all been relocated; next, it’s the bees.

Seila Mosquera (pictured), executive director of NeighborWorks New Horizons, which is in charge of the $6 million renovation of the Canterbury Gardens complex down the street from Hillhouse High School, said her organization learns something new with every project.

A groundbreaking took place Thursday at the site.

“With this project, after relocating all the families, we thought we were all set. Then we found we had a nest of bees, so we called the exterminator. He came and looked at them and said, ‘You can’t exterminate, because they’re honey bees.’ We can’t kill them, so we have to relocate them. So we’re looking for somebody to help us out, and learning a new way of relocation,” she said, laughing.

“Affordable housing” is for those with annual incomes between $12,000 and $50,000, depending on family size.

martha%20dale.jpg Nine of the units will be supportive housing for those with HIV who are at risk of becoming homeless. They will be offered voluntary case management services by Leeway, a not-for-profit organization that provides skilled nursing care for people with HIV and AIDS. “It’s a wonderful resource for folks who might be fragile or for whom moving out into the community is a big step,” said Leeway Executive Director Martha Dale (pictured). Click here for a previous story about another new site in town for supportive housing, which is seen as a long-term alternative approach to shelters for combating homelessness.

The city helped secure the Canterbury Gardens site from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. A raft of public, private and non-profit organizations, institutions and state agencies are supporting the project, including Citizens Bank, the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, the Corporation for Supportive Housing, and the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.

Ed Seibert, president of the Board of Directors of NeighborWorks New Horizons, said, “I love groundbreakings because to me they epitomize the physical manifestations of what up until now have been dreams, hopes and aspirations. The physical manifestation is the work that is going on now, but it also represents the dreams of the people who eventually will live here. These people need decent, safe, clean and affordable housing.”

The project is slated for completion in the spring of 2009.

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Comments

Posted by: Mullic@ | May 29, 2008 9:45 PM

Call this guy: Swords Into Plowshares Honey & Candles Contact: Vincent Kay 178 Nicoll Street New Haven, CT 06511 (203) 787-0494

Mr. Kay may well want another hive of bees, but there is considerable work involved in their removal. There may be no way to persuade them to leave if they're in between walls and have brood combs, etc. established there. You may be able to exclude them from returning (with a one way exit gate placed over a sole point of egress/ingress) and lure them to join a different hive that is placed at that point. If they've established a hive in a closet or something like that, it may be an afternoon's work to get them out of there. I used to do this work in NJ, but I don't have the equipment at present.

Call Mr. Kay.

Posted by: Chris Gray | May 30, 2008 2:10 AM

I watched a story about this on WTNH and I read this article and I still don't quite get it.

The 34 units are all affordable housing and 9 come with supportive services due to residents' HIV/AIDS status and risk of homelessness, right? Or are all the units for people with HIV/AIDS, but only the residents in 9 of them will be at risk of homelessness, due to other complications?

It really wasn't any clearer coming out of Ted Koppy's mouth, either.

The bees I get, especially with the furor over the fragility of the population needed for pollination. That is also original to this story and a nice touch.

Posted by: Protzman | May 30, 2008 10:51 AM

Chris Gray-

There will be 34 units of housing. All will be affordable. 9 will have supportive services and case management onsite, provided by Leeway, Inc.,
financed by the Corporation for Supportive Housing, The City of New Haven, Citizens Bank and the Connecticut Department of Mental Health & Addiction Service & CHFA's Next Steps Program.

25 units will be available for low and middle income individuals and families.

As for the bees, they're staying until a beekeeper can remove them to an appropriate apiary.

Posted by: Chris Gray | May 31, 2008 5:20 AM

Protzman-

Thanks, that clarifies it nicely.

Millic@ -

Years ago, Vincent Kay and I had this habit of trading off or sharing jobs in peace demonstrations, usually holding the end of a banner. This is one job I'll never share with him, but I would guess he is the one for the job. I haven't seen his honey for a while, but I haven't been using anyone else's either.

New Haven Independent

No Bees Need Apply

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