Two years ago, Quinnipiac Terrace began its transformation from rundown housing project to family-friendly mixed-income complex complete with street lights, back yards, and colorful free-standing homes. Now, with that all in place, it’s time to build a community.
The now completed “phase II” of the federally funded Hope VI redevelopment project brought 79 families, including five from the original projects, into new homes since December — 50 in Quinnipiac Terrace and 29 at a separate site called Quinnipiac Ridge across the river between Quinnipiac Avenue and I‑91.
These new homes join the 81 built during Phase I, which began in 2006. The developments are managed by Winn Property Management, but are ultimately still under the domain of the Housing Authority. Plans are in the works for a Phase III, which would add another 71 units to the Terrace, including 20 designated for homeownership.
At a sparsely attended community meeting Tuesday night, the management staff of the development, city representatives, and a few residents took stock and shared ideas.
Alderman Gerald M. Antunes (pictured) provided information on issues from voter registration to educational programs for kids, and advocated starting a block watch at the terrace. Lt. Luiz Casanova, district manager of Fair Haven, explained the workings of management teams and reported that crime at Q Terrace is down dramatically since the new development went up.
Despite improvements in quality of life, the community still faces the problem of out-of-control teens and parents who do nothing to keep them in line, people said.
Most of the problems are with returning families from the old Q Terrace projects, said Vanessa Porrata, the assistant property manager. Original residents who wanted to return were allowed to do so without the usual credit and criminal checks, in accordance with policy set by the Housing Authority of New Haven. “Although it’s new and it’s beautiful, they still have that mentality that ‘I don’t work, I don’t pay rent,’” she said.
Many of the original families are great additions to the community, said Jenishah Johnson (pictured), the property manager who lives on-site in a Q Terrace house, but there are a handful causing trouble. The majority of original residents who returned to the Terrace are in public housing so they pay only partial rent, can’t be fined, and are essentially free of the threat of eviction, which leaves management with little leverage.
Casanova and Democratic ward Co-Chair George Page emphasized the importance of outreach to those new residents who have a more positive attitude about their new neighborhood. The new Terrace is already running a day camp for kids as well as free breakfast and lunch this summer. Once the Tenant Representative Council is up and running, Johnson said, more programs such as GED training and other outreach events will be made possible by the Housing Authority.
“Any job, you’re going get frustrated, especially when you’re passionate about your job,” said Johnson after the meeting. “But I really can’t complain, especially seeing the change from how it was to where it is now.”
Luis Soto (pictured), one of the few residents at the meeting, said he’s become something of a one-man block watch at his new place in Quinnipiac Ridge. He moved in this year and loves the place, and he works diligently to keep it a good place for his two sons to grow up. “I lived in a bad neighborhood for eight years and I was blessed to get where I am right now,” he said. “I didn’t leave one bad place to come to another.”
He stays on top of problems in his neighborhood and doesn’t mind telling his neighbors to clean up their trash or keep an eye on their kids. He has a security shirt from an old job at a bar that he sometimes wears for added effect. Now groups of trouble-makers from the neighboring condominiums tend to disperse when they see him coming. “I have two beautiful kids,” he said. “I want this to be a good area to live in.”
Patricia Stewart, who moved to Q Terrace from transitional housing two months ago, arrived at the meeting from her job at Walmart just as things were winding down. She had walked home from Grand Avenue, since there is no bus connection to the Terrace after 7 p.m.
Other than this transportation problem, Stewart is loving the new Terrace. She jingled her keys as she signed the short attendance list. “I have keys to my own house now.”