Whalley Businesses Tackle Loitering, Drugs

Hmmmm..... Setting up business next to a package store on Whalley???

And nobody saw this coming.......

Thanks, residents and businesses , for doing the job of the police and now the social workers. YOU have to direct locals to services and treatment without police /social worker assistance. And what are the police and social workers doing while the unarmed citizens take this new job on themselves for free? Will our taxes be lowered for doing the job others are paid for? What's next? Want us to put out fires, too??!!

City to business owners:

We have no answers for you. Deal with it, or move out.

Many longtime residents have chosen the latter.

Where is Mayor Elicker? Why isn't the Mayor addressing the business owners? Elicker seems to find the press whenever something remotely positive happens. He's nowhere in sight when it comes to being accountable.

Elicker sends the nhpd and economic development team to the mtgs and lets them take the heat.

This is crazy. Even the cops now think it's the community's job to steer the law-breakers to treatment and services. So what, the owner should walk out of his nice new business to gently confront a drunk/high person peeing in public and offer him what exactly? A bowl of kosher chicken soup and a chat about local social services agencies that could maybe provide some support??? NO.

Cops need to do that job, even if they have to visit every hour to push loiterers towards downtown or some other spot.

All along Whalley, and specifically between Blake and Osborne and around every liquor store, drunks and drug dealers have been allowed to loiter, block the sidewalk, and block a lane of traffic without consequence. It's like politicians have accepted this as the new normal to avoid confrontations with this population who are hard to handle and often volatile. Where's the Alder who should be supporting these businesses?

It doesn't have to be this way. And it's not about aggressive policing. It's about police showing up and gently annoying the "regulars" until they conclude that they will be inconvenienced if they continue to act in an illegal manner in that spot. I realize this will just send them on to a different spot but let's keep our whalley corridor safe and attractive to businesses. That's why we have a new spiffy zoning "zone" called the CGD; someone thought that whalley between downtown and Pendleton deserved to be a denser and more welcoming corridor with diverse uses that will attract spenders. And I see there is a new sneaker store where rubber match was so maybe investment in the whalley corridor will happen over time. But certainly not if we can't get the basics handled by the police.

In 39 years I've never seen it this bad.

The restaurant shouldn't have been opened right next door to a package store and no the trees shouldn't be cut down.It is bad enough that the neighborhood seems to lack trees which provide better air quality.The police already are aware of these so called nuisances that actually take place throughout New Haven.I'm tired of going into Sam's at the corner of Whalley and Sherman to find drug addicts,and panhandlers standing so close to the entrance/exit.That is very tacky.I remember Sam's was Store 24 in the 80's and 90's and never having to see drug addicts and panhandlers standing around the entrance.Cops are always parked directly across the street on Sherman in a bank parking lot and they do nothing to push them away.It seems like it only matters enough when it comes to certain business owners and not all.What is done for one store front should be done for all.Also there shouldn't be so many liquor stores in the neighborhood they're in a abundance which contributes to people standing around to drink, get drunk and go back in for more.All neighborhoods and business storefronts matter...seriously.

Well-said, Ben Trachten.... There is paralysis in every area of our lives, partly due to the hysteria of COVID, and then the nationwide riots, CRT, anti-racism overkill. Paralysis is preferable to being called racist or homophobe or anti-trans, elite white, or any other group that now is feeling the power of victimhood. YES- there is power in being a victim today!! Why make something of your life when you can cash in on being a victim?!

When will the law-abiding people say ENOUGH? When will business owners say ENOUGH? When will new people step up to take the reins of political power and stop this paralysis?

Wish I knew but the effects of this new reign of terror in our communities will have powerful and long-lasting effects that are not even being imagined yet. We have gone back 100 years culturally and socially.

I just reached out to the 3 Mayoral candidates on this issue. I'm very interested in hearing what each has to say.

____________
Good day -

I'm asking the three Mayoral candidates to share their views/solutions to addressing Loitering, Drugs, and Panhandling in the City. There is an article here in the New Haven Independent covering Whalley Ave business owners, the problems they confront regularly, and the absence of support/coordination/enforcement from the City.

Please share your views and plan/solutions on this issue and let us know if you would agree to meet with business owners to address this topic. I understand it is a holiday weekend but please provide a reply by tomorrow at 1 PM, so we can publish it to the public.

Thank you!
Dennis

"The couple also suggested the city cut some of the overgrown trees in front of the business that often obscure the street lights at night."
-Don't cut the trees! Trees provide shade, cooling relief, clean the air of pollution and absorb rainwater. The solution is to provide downward dark skies friendly targeted lighting under the trees' canopy to light up the sidewalks at night.
You also can't just move illegal drug activity from one neighborhood to another to become someone other neighborhood's problem. As long as we criminalize recreational drugs sale and use we just drive it to the streets and we create an illegal economy and the crime and violence that surround prohibition. When recreational use marijuana becomes completely legal to buy, sell, use and grow, we will see the commerce and usage surrounding it will become more like alcohol.
I would suggest we decriminalize all substances (but not legalize) and create safe use places off the streets where people can be properly medically supervised for usage and overdoses and recreational drug products can be tested for contamination. Those clinics can also provide addiction recovery services and mental health services for people who are ready to get treatment. By removing the criminal aspect and taking it off the streets and treating addictive substances abuse as a physical health and mental health issue, we can concentrate on addressing addiction issues with the addicts and not let it impact the public's safety and quality of life.

Note to self: When I decide to set up shop in New Haven, let me take a good looksie for several days to examine the surroundings. How is the parking? How is the front window and building facade appeal to others? Will my adjacent neighbors be part of the problem or part of the solution? Will people kind enough to urinate at my door's entrance be willing to open and hold the door for my next customer while they leap over the puddle? If I attend community meetings to address my concerns, will there be a bureaucrat who will promise to say "I'll look into your concerns" and say it with a straight face?

In every neighborhood in the city we have package stores and convenience stores that sell alcohol. They're called neighborhood convenience uses. Typically, people buy their booze and move on and drink at home or in a private location and don't cause trouble. Whalley doesn't have some obscene amount of liquor related uses.

Even a few blocks away at Beverage Boss on Whalley you don't have the loitering and bad behavior that you have a few blocks away near Winthrop and Norton and farther down towards Blake. I don't know why? And yea, I see cops just hanging out at Minorés parking lot all the time two minutes away from the "hotspots". And all it would take is a slow cruise by the cops on a regular basis to tell the drunks to move along. Whalley is our main thoroughfare from the wealthy western suburbs to downtown. It should not look like Camden NJ.

I don't know about all the victim talk and bigger trends but how about we build a largely safe city where businesses can carry out their essential service without having to be social service agencies too? Let our police respectfully enforce the laws fairly for everyone and as against everyone. With compassion.

I am sure many of the loiterers are dual diagnosis patients who need services so why can't one of the social services agencies send an outreach worker to talk to them and connect them with services? Why can't the management team or special services district make that happen.

And for the few real trouble makers that threaten all of our safety and lives, I know the cops always have a way to "impress" upon them that they need to do their dirt elsewhere.

This has been going on long enough. And COVID just isn't an excuse anymore to allow bad behavior or fail to enforce the law with vigor.

I have deep respect for our police, fireman and paramedics. Their jobs are largely thankless and dangerous. But management sets the tone and it needs to change. Taking actions is the only way to get to better places.

As a New Havener I'm happy to see new life being brought to the corridor. It's a tremendous deal that they took a chance on this location regardless of the current situation. Kudos!

Side note: I hope all who are being impacted by the loitering etc. have reached out or will reach out to the police and signed the paperwork allowing police to remove loiterers from their premise. Let's bring awareness to this option! At some point the inconvenience of being relocated will have an impact and they will find shelter elsewhere.

@Ben...But management sets the tone and it needs to change.

I agree. And the Chief of Police reports to the Mayor. If its not important to the Mayor, then it isn't going to be important to the police. And right now its not important to Mayor Elicker.

@dennis

The days of the mayor being a "boss" making unilateral decisions and kicking ass and taking names is (sadly) over. We're in this new world where we collaborate (even on bullshit like this), we talk about solutions, bring in coddling resources to minimize any claim of some "ism" against the peeing loiterer/law breakers, and the business owners are supposed to merrily play along like Sheep and be patient.

I don't know where this new brand of liberalism with required collaboration and appeasement on every issue (big/small, dangerous/harmless) will lead but it sure sucks the energy out of the participants on the "right" side. I fear that listening to all voices (even if they're on the front lawn of the mayors private home saying "fuck you") just emboldens bad behavior.

On the flip side, we didn't have much violence and the mayor seems willing to engage with anyone on social justice issues (which really takes some discipline and self-awareness and skill).

Given more time I think Elicker will do big things (I just hope it's something that grows new haven in a tangible way and not mandatory affordable housing as a misguided social justice legacy for new haven).

Personally, I'm just confused by this new world and it's requirements.

Yes, the mayor is ultimately responsible for everything good and bad that happens here but no one should expect him to tell the police chief how to enforce the law against peeing loiterers. We can hope that he sees that if you don't nip these problems early they mushroom into bigger issues, but I think mayor Elicker has more important things to deal with.

A few district managers on the police force can solve this problem in a week. A few patrol officers taking some initiative would work too!!!

Dear Ben Trachten-- I agree with most of what you said in your comment. I disagree that this issue of little lawbreakers and the effect it will have on business in NH> I cannot step out of my car downtown without being approached by a panhandler. Bums cover the Green and make it unpleasant to stay there more than necessary. Allowing unlawful and disgusting behavior in front of local businesses will drive away customers and then the business and then we have another empty building not paying taxes in NH>. The mayor does not have to police the streets-- that's what we have police for so let's untie their hands and start enforcing all of our laws. To allow this disgusting public behavior opens the doors to other worse behavior. The well-being of our city and its administration is the mayor's first priority and requires strength; not weak-looking sympathy for addicts and derelicts.

Ben - Well said! Now, can we get you to run for Mayor?

You see, I too at one-time had great hope for our current Mayor. But, that quickly passed. It has become abundantly clear that this Mayor is first and foremost a politician, and is interested more in building his own brand and his own political resume than he is in the future of New Haven. The open secret is he has his eyes on Rosa's seat and Washington DC. By the time the damage from this Mayor's wokism is felt in New Haven, he will be long gone and you and I will still be here paying for it - literally and figuratively.

The opioid epidemic was created by the billionaire drug dealing Sackler family, who never got arrested. Their drugs cause neurological changes in the brain, which makes it almost impossible to quit without treatment. The Sacklers should be arrested, not the pan handlers. The Federal, State and local government has refused to fund drug treatment centers or address the issue. The Cities are overwhelmed with people with addiction problems and don't have the means to address this problem. New Haven cops have more important things to do than lock up pan handlers and drug addicts because a customer cannot get a bowl of chicken soup, or ox tail soup, without having to pay off a pan handler. New Haven must also bear the burden of dealing with regional poverty issues, which is concentrated in the cities. New Haven doesn't have the resources to address poverty and drug addiction. You can rant about it all you want, nothing will ever change no matter who is the Mayor or Chief of Police, you should either get used to it or move to the suburbs.

I support mayor Elicker even if I disagree with his handling of issues. He is a stabilizing force who can reach across age, color, politics, religion, etc. How he turns those skills into "wins" for the city, I don't know.

A NH mayor needs to walk softly and carry a big stick and he hasn't shown himself to be that leader yet. We need a mayor willing to fight the fights that will stabilize the city for decades and to tell people "no, your idea/cause/approach is just dumb (or not right for us now).

Instead, we get lots of talking and "feel good" BS. It's cringeworthy. but we're in strange times and he's been mayor for 19 months so I'm all for Elicker 2.0.

I don't care if he wants Rosa's seat and I'm sure he could make it happen. Not like the seat is going to a republican!!! The question will be which liberal will be her replacement when she throws in the towel.

As to the primary, I already see the city dividing along racial lines and it's very sad but predictable. Justin will prevail without much difficulty barring some scandal. He's not the guy to be embroiled in scandal anyway.

If they created a high paying city manager job I'd take that in a minute, but Mayor, no way.

The only failures I'd dump squarely in Justin's lap are all employment related. Under his tenure the city has allowed most employees a 15+ month vacation with virtually no expectations. He hasn't required them to come back. City hall is a ghost town. You can't run a city by email. Telephone calls don't get returned (even for frequent users of city services like me).

And worse, he hasn't made the personnel changes even after figuring the dead weight Harp holdovers out. Worse, he's allowed them to make some critical hires who will likely be with us a Long time. These are people who aren't qualified and it's frustrating to deal with idiots. We will lose the good employees too because the hires are their "bosses". and replacing these people is a challenge.

Dear lawrencedressler-- Tweed expansion? move. Don't like panhandlers/public urination/ intimidating patrons of businesses?
move. Businesses don't like bums around their stores? Move or you handle the issue (sensitively)

Since when did this become the way to deal with issues? And yet at the same time, urban pols and their followers are dying to move drug rehab, projects, etc out to suburbia. Let these pathological behaviors push law-abiding citizens out and then send those pathologies out after them. After you finish destroying the cities you will proceed to destroy the suburbs and we'll all be happy? I don't think that is a very good plan. What else you got for ideas???

@CityYankee

Drove an addict round trip from her house in Wallingford to a methadone clinic in North Haven this morning. She said she used to have to go down to New Haven. I think you don't know who addicts are and aren't, nor where they live or what services are needed where. Seems you're most comfortable being able to point at New Haven and its people and say "look at this den of iniquity".

CityYankee: According to your "logic" if drug addicts and the poor are moved to the suburbs they will destroy the suburbs because they are pathological. Better they destroy the cities? Why can't the State and Federal government tax billionaires, who pay less taxes than City Yankee, and fund programs to help the poor and the drug dependent and let them live in sober houses or other treatment centers, in peace, under supervision, or where ever they want to live. This will never happen because the greedy oligarchs who don't pay taxes, who control this country will never allow the government to force them to pony up. This is no longer a democracy, we might as well return to British rule, Mr. Yankee. God Save the Queen!

Dear laurelnaiad, you are absolutely right that I don't usually associate with addicts but some are not really hard to spot. I defer to your wisdom.
NH certainly is not alone in being home to addicts but we have more than our share and it is affecting businesses and residents. I also do not wish that the joy of homeless, mentally ill, addicted , or otherwise impaired individuals be foisted on any town but since they exist, they should receive services in an area where others will not be impacted . NH should not bear the brunt .
BTW--- can you tell where the methadone clinic in North Haven is; in case I run across some addicts who don't know?

Mr Dressler-- I'd WAMT to live in Hawaii but I can't afford it so drug addicts also cannot live where they WANT to live. If they are on the dole; they will live where they are told, as I live where my income dictates.
I do agree with you that the rich and powerful should pay and that people with problems should be cared for. I disagree that they are to be foisted upon others, as if they are working like the rest of us do, so they can pretend they don't have a problem.
BTW-- I live about a mile from a sober house. Where is the nearest one to you?

Mr. Yankee- You speak disparagingly about people with drug addictions, yet you think they should get treatment. How are they supposed to get treatment if the government refuses to tax the billionaires their fair share. You don't speak disparagingly about the billionaires who don't pay taxes. I would love to live next to tax scofflaws Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Michael Bloomberg, Carl Ichan and George Soros, but I am not a criminal and I cannot afford to live next to the criminals. I am actually a felon but not a criminal, my prison nickname was Larry Noodles, look at the articles Paul Bass posted about me. Paul Bass is a law abiding citizen. Let the drug addicts live where we tell them, and I say they should live on Indian Creek Island in Jared Kushner's backyard. I probably live near a few sober houses, if that's what gives you street cred on this website, I never looked into it. I have actually lived in Federal prison for 18 months, which is far worse than any sober house, I shared my bunk bed with people with severe addiction, anger management, and mental health issues. I have plenty of close friends and relatives who have suffered from addiction issues, and I don't speak disparagingly about people with mental health issues, nobody is perfect, and these people should not be demonized, if you want to demonize them you might as well propose a firing squad, like the cops do to people who live on the streets in Mexico.

I remember a boat load of New Haveners saying the city needs LESS POLICING. Now I see the same people "appalled" due to comments made by the Lieutenant. Y'all folks up here are a hilarious in a bubble bunch. Some of you don't know what you want for the community. Some of you articulate well but most just talk just to talk. Some of you must just love reading your own hypocritical and contradicting comments.

It's a comedy show that I enjoy reading from time-to-time. See what happens when something effect YOU personally? Now it's an issue that needs to be addressed right? I'm still waiting for the CAHOOTS team to come in and solve so many issues the city is having with lower priority calls.

All you folks up here commenting, you can create a group of citizens that can patrol certain areas in the day time a-la NY Guardian Angels. I won't even suggest you do it at night time. Put your money where your mouth is since so many of you are so smart and always have something to say. In this day and age we need boots on the ground as my great Uncle would say. More action and less talk. Get out there and help.

MAYA MCFADDEN or PAUL BASS, do either of you have any updates on that CAHOOTS team that Mayor Elicker has spoken about on many occasions? That was a huge talking point over the summer of 2020 into the fall. Any progression on that? Can we gather at least a six person team, four, maybe two? Anything would help at this point, no?

Heather: Legalizing drugs won't solve this problem. Alcohol is legal, and we still have drunks cluttering our sidewalks, the Green, etc. Some folks just like being drunk, stoned, high, etc., and don't want treatment. We could be coercive with arrests and jailing for public intoxication, etc., and could stop administering NARCAN and other life prolonging treatments, but otherwise these folks need to be somewhere.

I asked the 3 candidates for Mayor to respond to the NHI article regarding Whalley businesses tackling loitering and drugs. You can find the full text of the replies at the link below (it would have taken a 5 part post to show it here). Mayor Elicker did not respond to multiple emails seeking comment. Candidate Dubois-Walton has offered to meet with Whalley businesses.

https://www.ournewhaven.org/

@elmcitybornandraised wrote ' remember a boat load of New Haveners saying the city needs LESS POLICING. Now I see the same people "appalled" due to comments made by the Lieutenant.'...

I don't know. I just see the usual suspects in these comments taking potshots at new haven and making (intentionally?) overly simplistic comments about policing and addiction and "certain people". Y'all seem to want to live in (a white version of) Singapore. New haven is a liberal, pluralistic city. Offering solutions fit for an authoritarian society is pointless. Stop. This is not the place for you of you need that.

Love the idea to just let people suffering with addiction die at your earliest convenience, 1644. Epitomizes my previous comment.

FTR I would like to see a lot less focus on messing with people who are minding their own business on sidewalks, no matter what substances they are on or with whom they're associating, and a lot more focus on people darting around in traffic and highway ramps demanding money.