Nora Grace-Flood photo
Shelter staff and helpers Danielle Robertson, Deshaya George, and John Labieniec.
There’s room at the former Days Inn on Foxon Boulevard this holiday season.
Fifty five rooms to be exact, only eight of which so far have been filled by unhoused New Haveners searching for a warm place to stay as winter sets in.
That’s after the city’s first hotel-to-shelter conversion opened its doors on Friday, offering New Haveners unable to afford or maintain rentals rare access to non-congregate, 24-hour, supportive crisis housing.
City officials gathered Wednesday morning alongside representatives from Continuum of Care, the nonprofit contracted to oversee operations at the former Days Inn hotel located at 270 Foxon Boulevard, to celebrate the first round of residents having moved into the shelter. The city purchased the ex-hotel property for $6.9 million in November.
The opening comes more than two years after a past plan by the city to purchase a Long Wharf hotel for the same purpose fell apart.
Mayor Justin Elicker described the new model as a way to “get people back on their feet” following a “housing first model” while making sure each client has a “long-term, sustainable pathway to a permanent home.”
While the majority of rooms remain closed as repairs are underway, including the installation of new toilets and flooring throughout the building, the Elicker administration said that Continuum of Care will continue accepting clients from the Coordinated Access Network’s centralized shelter waitlist as more beds become available. They did not provide a timeline elucidating how long that might take.
John Labieniec, the vice president of acute and forensic services at the nonprofit Continuum of Care, said that while the rooms are largely first come first served, New Haven residents will be prioritized as well as individuals who may be excluded by other shelters, including people with physical disabilities, couples, and people with pets.
“That’s the whole reason we’re doing this,” Labieniec said — not just to bring more beds online as homelessness spikes and refuge remain scarce, but to develop an alternative, temporary housing model to attract those who might opt to live on the street rather than inside overregulated, crowded shelters (read about some New Haveners’ varied perspectives and approaches to housing instability here, here and here).
Though the shelter has been open for under a week, residents have already met as a group with staff around three times to provide feedback on the system, which Labieniec said will reconsider its own rules as time progresses to make sure every client is supported. Right now, for example, while residents are able to move freely in and out of the building throughout the day, everyone is expected to check in for the night by 7 p.m. That curfew may be debated or altered as more move in.
Each hotel room features one or two beds, a private bathroom...
... and a t.v., microwave, and mini fridge.
Wanda Jofre, who was hired by Continuum of Care this week to serve as director of the ex-hotel shelter, and also of the city's non-cop crisis response team and an upcoming emergency crisis drop-in center on Winthrop.
On-site staff have also performed intake interviews with every resident to learn more about their backgrounds and what kind of resources they hope to acquire during their time at the renovated Days Inn, whether that’s help accessing food stamps, substance abuse treatment, a Section 8 housing voucher, or other intervention.
Case managers who have lived through homelessness themselves are on site everyday as well as a full-time therapist, a housing coordinator, and general support staff.
While Elicker emphasized the importance of a non-congregate shelter, recalling the city’s pandemic “success” when it came to relocating unhoused New Haveners into hotel rooms, Continuum of Care CEO Patti Walker said that “what makes the model different” is that no client will leave the facility until “they are assigned to and secured permanent supportive housing.”
Most residents are expected to stay between 60 and 90 days at the shelter, but Labieniec said his crew will work with clients on a one-on-one basis to determine their individual next steps and will not kick anyone out until they have established a safe plan for housing.
Debra Jimenez, who has been experiencing homelessness since February, said that the new shelter means “I’m able to keep my grace and self-respect.” Jimenez said the model allows her to keep living with her partner, who is physically disabled but able to navigate the first-floor of the former hotel.
“I’m so thankful to be here,” she told those gathered Wednesday.
“It’s holiday season,” said Ward 12 Alder-elect Theresa Morant. “What better gift to give: Warmth, a bed, a shower, a roof over your head, food, services. Put that all together and it’s love.”
I hope there will be complete transparency as to the total cost of this approach to temporary housing so we can measure it against the cost of simply developing alternate permanent solutions for those in need.
New Haven has vacant buildings that could be renovated and made into permanent housing.
Zoning changes could be made to accommodate tiny homes, trailer parks, etc.
We need long term solutions. This problem has been huge for 50 years. $40 billion would solve homelessness.