Inaugural Call: ​“We Have To Believe In One Another”

Following is the text of Mayor Justin Elicker’s inaugural address Wednesday.

Thank you to Natalie Semmel and Sebastian Ward our Emcees from New Haven Academy. You know a lot of people say that the youth are our future but these two are our youth of today. By the way, they are also co-founders of New Haven High School Democrats. I hear they are looking for new members.
And thanks to the Fair Haven K‑8 Singers, Varick Choir, Teddeybown, Jordan Watson. Thanks for the inspiration from our clergy and to the distinguished oath administrators for making this day memorable.

Thanks also to our incredible City Departments — New Haven Fire, Police, Health, Transportation, Traffic & Parking Departments, and New Haven Public Schools. Thanks to Glenn Worthy, Principal of James Hillhouse High School for hosting and to the Hillhouse Junior ROTC.

And I’d like to give a special thanks to the Inauguration committee and Barbara Segaloff for organizing a spectacular event.

Senator Blumenthal, Congresswoman DeLauro, Lieutenant Governor Bysiewicz, President Walker Myers and honorable members of the Board of Alders, City-Town Clerk Smart, President Goldson, Dr. Edward Joyner and honorable members of the Board of Education, Dr. Tracey, Mom, Dad, my in-laws Angie and Dave, cousin Kristie and her boys, Natalie, Molly and April, and everyone here (did I forget anyone), good afternoon.

Thank you for being here today.

If you’re here, it’s because you care about New Haven. We know of course there are countless others like us, who are not here today, who also love New Haven. And I know — as I take a few minutes of our shared time today to talk about New Haven— where it has been, where it’s going, and what it needs, that I’ll be preaching to the choir. You know we’re in this together, or you wouldn’t be here. You know this city, as I know this city, and you care about it, as I do — or you wouldn’t be here. So if you learn something today, if you’re inspired by anyone today, please take that back to your community and spread the word.

I’ll be describing our New Haven, which is as much yours as it is mine, as it is the people who have grown up here and flown out into the wide world, and those who are yet to come. Let’s reflect on that for a moment and parse it out. Consistent with world-wide trends, the people who call New Haven home have always been in flux, since European settlers took this land from the Quinnipiac tribe. With the changes in people come changes in the use and industry of the city. The Quinnipiac worked and thrived on the land. Early European settlers brought international commerce including a vast shipping

industry that used our harbor. The industrial revolution beaconed rural Americans to our city center. New waves of European immigrants generated churches, pizza, the hamburger and a charity hospital. Black Migration from the south, looking for work and for a new life, built neighborhoods and culture. In more recent years Latinx newcomers also built neighborhoods and enriched our art and culture and community. And today, our Middle Eastern and Arab communities are finding their place in the fabric of the Elm City.

Like these newcomers, I was also at one time a newcomer to New Haven, as was my wife Natalie. Does being a newcomer mean that you don’t belong, that you can’t love a place and its people? Of course not. Natalie and I hope that our children, who were born here, also feel that they belong, and love this place and its people.

We’re a city that celebrates the new and the old, the visitors and the home-grown. But with history as a guide, we should anticipate and expect that as global forces shift who lives here, there will also be changes in how we live, work, and govern. And change can be hard. But we are in it together.

Toni Harp was also a newcomer to New Haven at one time. And then she dedicated over 30 years to public service of our city, and for that she must be applauded. For the last six years she served as our mayor, and, being Mayor is not an easy job. Actually, to be honest, in these past four minutes so far as mayor, it hasn’t been too bad. But I’m sure there will be many challenging moments. Despite that the job presented her with many challenges, Mayor Harp took on the job with passion and dedication. She worked hard to invest in young people through Youth Stat and by ensuring the recreation of the Q House. She dedicated time and resources to communities in New Haven who felt they hadn’t been listened to in decades. Mayor Harp cared about those who felt they didn’t have a voice and I admire her for that. I’d ask you to join me now in giving a round of applause for Mayor Harp and for the impact she has had on our community.

Now, as we enter this new decade, New Haven is again experiencing great change. We are growing rapidly – at a pace not seen since the 1920s.

• 84% of the US population lives in urban areas. By 2050 an estimated 89% of the US population is projected to live in urban areas. And as we’ve seen, New Haven is experiencing this phenomenon, too. Since 2014 the City has added more than 1,000 new rental units with more than 4,000 more under construction or in the planning stages. The City’s most recent estimates are that our population has grown from 130,000 residents just a few years ago to 133,000. Incidentally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the Census here, particularly because the Lt. Governor has joined us. Lt. Gov. Bysiewicz has been working tirelessly to ensure that everyone is counted and our City will be working hard to make sure that every single New Haven resident is counted.

• This growth presents an incredible opportunity for New Haven. To try to stem this tide or insulate our city from this trend would be impossible, and irresponsible. For the survival and success of our City, we must lean into this wave and create an environment in New Haven that encourages growth. But we will not be passive observers of this change. We’ve got to ensure that growth benefits everyone in our community.

As we harness this tremendous energy, new investment, rapid growth, and increasing momentum, we must ensure it carries everyone higher. We will grow by welcoming outside resources and people, and we will grow from within. Inclusive Growth, Equitable Growth. So that every New Haven resident has the opportunity to thrive.

• One – Housing. We must ensure that New Haven residents have more options for safe, clean and healthy affordable housing units. Nearly 1/3 of New Haven residents spend over 50% of their income on housing. Now is the time to prioritize the creation of affordable housing. And, as so many know, what we often call affordable housing isn’t affordable to everyone. We must have new deeply affordable housing units. My administration will prioritize holding bad landlords accountable and ensure residential growth occurs in ways that provide quality and affordable options that are more accessible to all residents.

• Two – Jobs. We must ensure access to jobs for New Haven residents. 30 percent of New Haven residents are underemployed. And the potential here for growth is huge, particularly in the medical, bioscience, digital health, tech, advanced manufacturing and construction sectors. We have an $800M neuroscience center that is coming online over the coming years and our medical sciences and biotech industry, with the right nurturing, are poised to explode. And as we all know, any job isn’t what’s truly going to make a difference in someone’s life – it’s a career that’s important. People don’t need two or three part-time jobs. What people need is one good job. My administration will prioritize job training and career ladders to ensure New Haven residents benefit from our growing industry.

• Three – Education. We must ensure our public schools serve the needs of every child. And not just the academic needs, but the Whole Child. And parents, please opt into our public schools. Most residents in New Haven don’t have a choice between public or private. Every parent wants the best for their child. Together, we can make our public schools the best for every child. My administration, in partnership with Dr. Tracey and the Board of Education will prioritize those areas with demonstrated success in improving the lives of children – early childhood education, age- appropriate learning including play-based learning, quality afterschool and summer programs, programs that prepare kids for success in college, and programs that ensure those kids who may not go to college have training and access to a good job after graduation.

• And Four – Safety. We must do all this while ensuring the basic job of government gets done – safe neighborhoods – safe from violence, safe from petty crime, safe from dangerous drivers. Reliable municipal services, from pot-holes to plowing.
These goals are not easy to accomplish. We are in a budget crisis and must correct course. Our state is experiencing similar pressures. Thousands of residents in our city are facing challenges of extreme poverty and the trauma associated with it. And each of these priorities will take many years for us to accomplish.

So how will we get there?

• First, it’s critical that our government be open and inclusive. DataHaven’s most
recent community report stated that only 34% of New Haven residents believe that government is responsive to their concerns and needs. Think about that. Nearly 2/3 of all New Haveners think their government isn’t responsive. Our government must be open and inclusive in the way we conduct our business. I believe our transition team has set the right tone with the level of public inclusion in our work to compile the transition report. I was excited when our transition team felt up to the task of holding so many public meetings, and we were all thrilled when hundreds of city residents attended our first and second public transition meetings. Talk is cheap, but showing up to two public meetings to engage with neighbors and set a tone and course for our city — that’s an investment. I thank all of you who have contributed to the transition process.

• The second way we get there is by holding fast to our values, especially at this time in our nation’s history when those values are under attack.

We are a city that rejects hate. Today we see a level of brazen nationalism, anti Semitism, racism and divisive rhetoric and actions around the nation. New Haven rejects all forms of hate, period. We won’t compromise on this point and we will call it out when we see it.

We are a city that serves as a sanctuary for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, economic status, sexual orientation and immigration status and under my administration will continue to value every person and continue as such a sanctuary.

We are a city that cares about our environment. We in the midst of a climate emergency, and with lack of leadership in Washington on the greatest challenge facing our earth in human history, our City must lead the way in valuing the earth and taking responsibility for addressing climate change.

We are a city that takes responsibility for the past. We acknowledge the historical inequities that have been created through racism and will work as a community to undo those harms.

• The third way we get there. Most importantly, we must recognize we are in it together. We are in this together.

We all must work together. And I think we all have work to do in this area. All too often in this age of social media and anonymous commenting, when people experience adversity and disagreement, they today follow the path of cynicism and least resistance, and to echo Michelle Obama’s words, when they go low… Let’s shake off that negativity and distrust. If we’re going to accomplish great things, we have to act like great people.

We have to trust that each other are well-intentioned. We have to believe in one another. We have to acknowledge each other’s integrity, even when we disagree. And we should be vigilant not to let those few, loud, negative voices distract us, cloud our focus, or corrupt our vision. We must work together.

That starts with me. I’m here in front of you because you’ve given me an opportunity to lead this city — to follow my heart, my integrity, and make the right decisions based on the best of my knowledge and my ability. And I expect you to hold me to that.
It starts with me, and must continue with you. I will work hard to meet your expectations, but our success requires all of us.

Success requires my friends on the Board of Alders and the Board of Education to work collaboratively with me, as I will with you. Success requires that we not allow small disagreements — which we may have from time to time — drown out the larger goals. Together, we can accomplish our shared goals. I have also served on the Board, and I know you don’t have an easy job, either. New Haven’s success depends on us working together.

Success requires a robust partnership with our state delegation and state-wide partners, who I know understand that Connecticut can prosper only if it invests in cities like New Haven. I know you haven’t always felt valued. You are crucial to our City’s success.

Success requires our neighbors in surrounding towns to not just work here, dine here, or see a show here, but to view yourselves as part of the New Haven community, to share that pride and responsibility. To recognize what New Haven provides to those struggling with substance abuse, provides in the number of existing affordable housing options, provides for our homeless and more and do more in your town and provide more resources to us so we all can share in these responsibilities.

Success requires a strong partnership with Yale University and Yale New Haven Hospital. And it requires both the University and Hospital to think deeply about what it means to be a non-profit, what it means to be a member of the New Haven community and commit to doing your part. Our challenges are your challenges. Our home is your home.

And success requires the rest of us, to be involved, be focused, be patient with the time it takes to get things done, (I haven’t yet formally received the transition report and I understand they’ve got a 100 day plan that now I’ve got only 99 days to implement.)

Success requires all of us.

New Haven has such potential. And that’s not just political rhetoric. You all wouldn’t be here if you didn’t believe in our potential. We are at a defining moment in our city’s history – to address our deep challenges we must grow as a city — yes in population but more importantly grow as a people – so we have the collective wherewithal to work together and accomplish what so many think we can’t. To ensure that New Haven becomes a place where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

To close, I want to thank you again for giving me this opportunity to be the\ newcomer to the Mayor’s Office. I pledge to you that I will give it everything I’ve got, and I ask you to do the same. Change will not be easy, but together, we can go far. Thank you and Happy New Year.