Maya McFadden Photo
Frank D’Amore documents construction piles on Pardee Street.
City inspectors conducting New Haven’s latest “clean and safe neighborhood sweep” Thursday came across the Annex’s potential next illegal junkyards — and took steps to prevent them.
The Livable City Initiative (LCI) partners with the health, police, and engineering departments and the Chief Administrator’s Office to meet canvass different neighborhood each month to discover and respond to public health and blight violations.
Sweep crew hits the Annex.
Officials Thursday split into groups with different routes to document the problems and provide residents with a bag of handouts from several city departments along with Covid-19 vaccination information and face masks.
NHPD Patrol Commander Lt. Mark O’Neill, LCI Housing Code Inspector Rick Mazzadra, Chief of Staff Sean Matteson, LCI Deputy Director of Property Services Frank D’Amore, and Mayor Justin Elicker worked together on one of the break-out teams Thursday. They hit Lancraft, Pardee, and Fulton Streets, where they ended up focusing on trash violations and unmaintained outdoor storage and property upkeep concerns.
Elicker talks sidewalks with Ricardo Smith.
They met Ricardo Smith, who was working on an electric job at a Lancraft Street home. Smith stopped the mayor to ask if the sidewalks in front of his Fair Haven Heights house could be redone. The sidewalks across the street from his home were repaved by East Haven in the winter, Smith said but because his property falls on the New Haven town line, the sidewalk of his home has remained uneven for years.
“If somebody walks at night, they’ll break their neck,” he said.
Elicker said Alder Rosa Santana had previously alerted him to the problem. He said at the time he had forwarded the issue to the city engineer. He promised Thursday to follow up.
24 Lancraft St.’s growing junkyard.
Next door, at 24 Lancraft St., the team came across a lot housing several junk cars. They said the owners will receive an enforcement letter from LCI. “It’s like a makeshift junkyard in the making,” D’Amore said.
Across the way, at 18 Lancraft St. the team documented a pile of junk covered with tarps tucked between the house and the garage.
D’Amore said he was glad not to have seen illegal businesses like unlicensed car-repair operations.
The team cited several Pardee Street properties for excessive trash, storing unregistered vehicles, and blight violations.
87 Pardee St driveway storage lot.
At 87 Pardee St., the team pointed out a fenced-in driveway full of unidentifiable items under a large tarp.
The team also checked in on vacant lots being monitored by the city to be sure that they are not overrun by illegal dumping or squatters. “It becomes a hazard to public safety,” said D’Amore. “Once people know we’re not looking, they open up shop and start leaving junk cars here or breaking in.”
Andra Hacher home called outside when she saw the team leaving handouts and masks at her Pardee Street home.
“You guys are LCI right?” Hacher said. “I’ve been calling you and can’t ever get through.”
Andra Hacher with Mayor Elicker.
Hacher asked the team how to reach LCI to get information about homeownership programs and the Coronavirus Assistance and Security Tenant Landlord Emergency Program (CASTLE).
D’Amore gave Hacher LCI’s main line number to help.
Neighbor Shalonda Sanders asked the team to assist her with mold in her Quinnipiac Avenue apartment’s bathroom and a lack of heat during the winter. “They fix it all up nice on the outside. but the inside is what needs fixing,” she said.
Mazzadra gathered Sanders’ contact information to arrange for a property inspection.
Inspectors drop off materials door to door.
The team was happy to see a number of lots that remained clear of junk and excess cars after their last sweep in the neighborhood.
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Rebecca Bombero said other Thursday sweep teams documented abandoned vehicles, a contractor’s unfinished sidewalk job, an anonymous resident’s tip of illegal activity near Fulton Street, and other sidewalk safety concerns that will assigned to city staff for follow-up.