Following a Monday rally organized by the Racial Justice coalition for housing justice, dozens of people experiencing homelessness and their advocates converged in significant and historical testimonial, at the City Council on Wednesday December 13th. They urged the city to take strong actions to help the homeless and renters who are experiencing substandard living conditions.
“We are here today to demand an end to gentrification…(and) demand an end to the neglect, criminalization and dehumanization of homeless and poor people in New Britain”
“We are humans as well, we should be treated with respect and dignity.”
Ten speakers brought up a variety of issues. The speakers complained that there were not enough shelters and beds for the homeless and that housing was unaffordable even when they work. Many experienced medical conditions that are untreated and prevented them from working.
They also complained about police mistreatment, a lack of enforcement of healthy and quality living conditions in New Britain rentals, and a lack of sufficient care by the hospital and other social services.
One speaker, Pablo Roman, described how the New Britain police tore down his tent and took away his belongings. He also introduced another individual who has been living in a tent for a year and a half despite applying for various programs.
“They (police officers) took a knife, broke the tent. I took out my phone to record it. One of them took my phone away.”
Another speaker, Cloe Ferrara described how the state 211 hotline was not able to help her and how bad living conditions in her apartment building in New Britain including roaches drove her out to the streets.
An additional speaker, initially felt that New Britain was a place of opportunity until he found himself homeless. Another speaker, Yolanda Ashby, also recounted living with black mold and having to leave her apartment because of bad living conditions.
Several speakers called for ending gentrification by offering more affordable housing and curbing slum lords. They complained that the city is giving preferential treatment to developers who are offering expensive and unaffordable apartments that are driving them out of the city.
The speaker, Mike R., called for the city to bring back the benches and bathrooms that provided spaces for the homeless to sit and to take down city signs prohibiting the homeless from being there.
Another speaker told how a homeless person was turned away from the Hospital of Central Connecticut despite his injury and despite being a veteran. Several of the speakers demanded that the city come up with a plan by the following city council meeting on January 10, 2024.
“This is a veteran, someone with mental illness, someone with a history of cancer and other chronic illnesses being turned away by the city, being turned away by the agencies that are designed for care, not profit.”
“Elderly people sleeping on the sidewalk. I cry when I see it. No elderly should be sleeping on the sidewalk in 23 degrees.”
“I was living in an apartment for 2 years and I got evicted. I had a really bad slum lord, I also had a domestic (abuse issue) in my home. I called 211 for domestic help. (I was referred to) Prudence Crandall without much help.”
“I heard yesterday someone got arrested for sleeping outside. If there are no beds… they are sleeping on the street. There is nothing we can do about it.”
“We need a place to rest our head, a place to get medical care, a place for people like you to fight for us. We also need to use the bathroom. Some of us have physical issues and mental issues but it doesn’t make any less of a person.”
“We got landlords raising rents on apartments filled with black mold a ceiling that is two seconds from caving in and rodents’ issues.”
I don’t think we can ignore what New Britain is becoming…New Britain wants to push people of low income out of town. Who is going to be able to afford the $1500 shoe boxes that New Britain is trying to sell with these new apartments.
