Thomas Breen Photo
Aaron Greenberg chairing the affordable housing task force.
Wooster Square will have two separate elections for alder this year, thanks to the resignation of Aaron Greenberg.
Greenberg handed in his letter of resignation as Ward 8 alder Tuesday morning to Mayor Toni Harp.
That means a special election for his spot will take place within 45 days to complete Greenberg’s two-year term through the end of 2019. Then another election takes place in November for the term beginning in January.
Greenberg is leaving New Haven to take a job teaching at Deep Springs College, which he described as “a small, liberal arts college and working ranch in the high desert at the foothills of the eastern Sierra Nevada in California.”
Greenberg, a political science grad student at Yale, has served as alder for the Wooster Square/Farnam Court/Jocelyn Square ward since 2014. In time he took a lead on citywide issues like affordable housing (chairing a task force), school funding and bus safety (chairing the board’s Education Committee) while also diving into neighborhood issues like beautification, building, traffic-calming, and zoning.
Like other Yale students who have involved themselves in local politics, Greenberg learned a lot that doesn’t get taught in a classroom.
Markeshia Ricks Photo
Greenberg helps cut the ribbon on a Jocelyn Square eatery.
“If there’s anything that this experience has confirmed to me,” he told the Independent Tuesday, “it’s that when it comes to policy changes big or small, people really do matter. Phone calls matter, emails matter, organized advocacy matters.
“I’ve been really lucky to work with so many passionate, committed, and thoughtful advocates in the ward, and luckier still to call so many of them my friends and neighbors. I’m going to miss my constituents and this wonderful community.”
Greenberg was part of a team of alders affiliated with Yale’s UNITE HERE local unions who have constituted a board majority. He served a stint as chair of the UNITE HERE local seeking to unionize graduate student teachers, leading a hunger strike that attracted national attention in pursuit of a contract. Supporters of the UNTIE HERE board majority argue that it provides an essential check on the political power of Yale, which for generations often used its weight to influence local decisions; and that using political power to push the city’s largest employer to pay workers better lessens poverty and lifts the entire economy. Critics argue that the board majority has pursued a narrower self-interested agenda that at times conflicts with the broader public interest.
Click on the video to watch Greenberg in his rookie year on the board (2014) staying calm while being harassed by a reporter for supporting a tax break for a neighborhood property owner.
“I Have Been Honored”
Following is the text of an email message Greenberg sent out Tuesday informing constituents of his resignation:
Dear friends,
I am writing with important news. This morning, I submitted my letter of resignation from the Board of Alders to Mayor Toni Harp. This was an incredibly difficult decision for me.
When I was elected in the fall of 2013, I knew that the position would be challenging: long hours, late nights, hundreds of calls and emails, but working with you — my neighbors, my friends — made even the most challenging days worthwhile. I am so grateful for all I have learned over the last six years, and for the opportunity you have given me to represent you.
Next month I will begin teaching at Deep Springs College. Deep Springs is unique — a small, liberal arts college and working ranch in the high desert at the foothills of the eastern Sierra Nevada in California. Students not only learn together in seminars but are responsible for everything from hiring faculty and staff to cooking meals and self-governance. Deep Springs is a tight-knit community, and participation is deeply valued. I hope to share many lessons from my years serving our Ward.
I am proud of the many things that, working together, we have been able to accomplish in the Ward since I took office in 2014. The beautification of the Humphrey Street underpass; traffic calming measures on Olive Street; and exciting new developments on Olive Street, Chapel Street, and Hamilton Street, which will bring much-needed vibrancy to these blocks. The community-led, Wooster Square/Downtown TOD Planning study will provide direction for future development in this crucial corridor. I was proud to continue the work spearheaded by my predecessor, City Clerk Michael Smart, to redevelop Farnam Courts, delivering high-quality, safe, and affordable housing. Ward 8 is fortunate to have such engaged residents, with civic organizations that keep the neighborhood energized and connected. I am grateful to have collaborated with so many wonderful and committed activists on everything from traffic safety to land use.
Working my colleagues on the Board has been a pleasure. The Education Committee, for which I served as Chair, oversaw the election of NHPS students to the Board of Education, and highlighted issues of state funding equity, resources for ELL and early childhood education, and school bus safety. As facilitator of the Affordable Housing Task Force I was proud to work with housing activists, policy experts, members of the public, and City staff to develop a set of recommendations addressing major zoning issues, housing code enforcement, land use efficiency, and housing accessibility. Given that a majority of New Haven residents pay more than 30 percent of their monthly income for housing, these proposals – currently making their way through the committee process – will make a difference in the lives of thousands of New Haveners. I have been honored to work with my colleagues on the Black and Hispanic Caucus who have led the way on getting large employers in New Haven to hire locally.
Because I will be stepping down within 18 months of the start of my third term, a special election will beheld within 45 days of my resignation. I will share information about the election as it becomes available.
I want you to know that I am committed to working my successor to ensure that they have the resources and information they need to serve you responsibly.
Should you want to meet or talk,I will continue to be available, as always, by email ([email protected]) or by phone (203 903‑1352).
My best wishes,
Aaron
"Between 12 and 15 students are admitted each year. A scholarship covers the costs of tuition, room, and board for every student offered admission. In exchange, Deep Springs students are expected to dedicate themselves to lives of service to humanity."
I first learned of this school when the top student from a local, prestigious school chose this tiny two-year school I never heard of, sounds like an awesome place to teach. Best of luck to Alder Greenberg, and excited to see who will take his place.