Hill Dilemma: Social Justice? Or Stability?

Development-weary Hill neighbors expressed sympathy for two ideas builders pitched Tuesday night: For-profit rental apartments to newly released prisoners. And non-profit permanent housing for veterans.

They said they agree with the worthiness of both potential projects. At the same time they asked: How do these approaches help a neighborhood trying to stabilize and turn its dilapidated housing stock and empty lots into affordable homeownership opportunities?

That delicate moral — as well as real estate — challenge was engaged Tuesday night at 2020’s first meeting of the Hill North Community Management Team. About 30 people attended the meeting in the music room at John C. Daniels International Communications School on Congress Avenue, where the builders of the two proposed projects sought the neighborhood’s support.

Take 2

Retired New Haven police Sgt. Shafiq Abdussabur was making a revised pitch. He appeared two months ago at the Hill South Community Management Team to explain his idea to turn two dilapidated houses on Frank Street into year-long transitional efficiency units specifically for ex-offenders working their way back into both the labor and housing markets.

That concept, following the model of Hang Time, a Bridgeport-based reentry support program, focuses on rehabbing 27 and 31 Frank and renting the one-bedroom apartments to people out of jail for at least a year, with a stable employment history. The tenants would perhaps bunk up with a friend or family member while preparing to take the next step into affordable, independent housing.

The plan would reclaim a wreck of a building and fill it with people invested in the community, rather than outside landlords, Abdussabur argued. He also committed to hire re-entry people to do a lot of the rehab work.

Abdussabur had, in response to Hill Southers’ opposition in November, tweaked his concept. Tuesday night he encountered the same concerned questions from Hill Northers. (The Hill neighborhood is divided into two separate ​“North” and ​“South” policing districts with separate management teams.)

The plan two months ago was received with some skepticism by Hill South residents who were weary even of worthy developers motivated by the concept of social justice entrepreneurship. Why not more individual homeownership opportunities instead? they had asked.

So Tuesday night Abdussabur called his reconceived pilot project ​“affordable workforce housing” that also incorporates concepts of ​“micro-housing.” Abdussabur said under his new plan the apartments would not be strictly for people transitioning back from jail but also to disadvantaged New Haveners in general who fall between the cracks of ​“affordable” and ​“workforce” —- people who may not be able to come up with a $1,000 deposit or be eligible for a federal Section 8 rental voucher.

The three apartments he hopes to build at 31 Frank would each have three bedrooms, each rented to a different unrelated individual who then shares kitchen, bathroom, and other facilities. ​“We’re looking to rent each room for $200 a week, or $800 per month,” he explained.

“This is not a rooming house or a sober house,” he said. It follows concepts of ​“micro-housing” and responds to the ongoing need for affordable living quarters, he added.

To allay neighbors’ concerns about their potential neighbors, Abdussabur promised to field a ​“housing review team,” comprised of one member of each the Hill South and Hill North management team, along with others, who would help review and pass on rental applicants.

“Their references could replace the deposit,” he explained. ​“By the month, by the week, we’ll work with you so that the rent is paid on time.”

As an ex-cop, Abdussabur assured his listeners that the project would have the good lighting, and cameras, and other security measures that help make for safety.

“I have the money. All I need is your support. This is cutting edge for New Haven and a model for the community,” he said. ​“And this will create jobs.”

Longtime Howard Avenue resident Maria Rodriguez asked Abdussabur why this project needs to come to the Hill, where so much of the housing stock already is dedicated to housing for the homeless and other specialized populations.

And why, challenged Hill resident Abdias Rodriguez, couldn’t some of these lots be ​“frozen,” so locals like himself could bid for the property? Rather than be outbid either by groups like Abdussabur’s, however worthy, or big developers like Mandy Management?

Veterans On Davenport

The same general response — sympathy for potential beneficiaries along with skepticism born of a weary community’s wanting stability through individual homeownership — greeted yet another pilot project that was next up to present to the management team.

The Dixwell-based National Veterans Council for Legal Redress (NVCLR) sought the team’s blessing to build five small one-bedroom apartments, along with a common area/office to provide trauma and other social service care. In effect, a veterans’ community, with permanent, not transitional, housing.

This would be a first in Connecticut, according to NVCLR Executive Director Gary Monk, and it will serve as a model for other groups trying to address the needs of the approximately 23,000 Connecticut vets, who often struggle with homelessness and other quality of life problems.

Principals of the $250,000 to $300,000 project have their eye on 252 Davenport Ave., now just an empty lot. Like Abdussabur’s group on Frank Street, the vets group is negotiating to buy the property from city government’s Livable City Initiative.

Also as in Abdussabur’s project, the vets’ developer, Donnell Hilton, said Hill North residents would get paid job training in construction, maintenance, and design if the project can move forward.

Maria Rodriguez again asked why other neighborhoods were not explored for this albeit worthy project. She noted that this group had appeared before the management team two years ago with the same concept.

“The hospital’s nearby. So’s downtown,” replied Monk. Transportation is accessible.

“I’m not against it,” she replied, ​“but there are so many things going on in the Hill already.”

“They were here two years ago,” replied Howard Boyd, the Hill South team chairman, ​“but they’re back again with a [revised] plan. We’ll work with them.”

“The veterans are from here,” added Hill Alder Evelyn Rodriguez, ​“and they are going to be giving back to the community.”

There was no formal vote; the sense of the body was to continue the conversation. When the formal meeting broke up, the impassioned conversation about good deeds and good real estate continued in smaller groups.

At heart, Abdussabur told Alder Rodriguez, his whole plan relies on trust between the developer and the neighborhood.

“You’ve shared your idea with us,” Rodriguez told Abdussabur, ​“and I respect it. I’m not saying we can’t consider it. I am saying we need to talk to the residents” of Frank Street, none of whom were at the meeting.

“It’s a very good idea to provide housing but we have to think about location. I’ll be honest. I’m looking more to homeownership,” she added.

“I’m optimistic,” Abdussabur said after his one-on-one with Alder Rodriguez. ​“I believe in social entrepreneurship, business looking to make social change.

To advance its project and attract interested partners, the NVCLR is holding a housing symposium on March 26 at 6 p.m. int the community room at the Regional Water Authority at 90 Sargent Dr. For more info on the project, the contact is NVCLR Secretary Carolyn Boykin.