‘Not Just Us’ Speaks Out for the Unhoused

Concerned about what many are calling the criminalization of being homeless in New Britain, the organization Not Just Us focused its New Britain “End Hate Across the State” event on the unhoused in the city.

Not Just Us has been holding events across the state, with goals are, “to ensure all individuals live in a safe and nurturing environment, are able to meet their immediate needs of education, employment, and literacy.” The organization says that, “By joining together we have more of a voice to ensure youths of diversity can go from the school to prison pipeline to the school to success pathways.”

The organization said that community leaders were invited to attend the event in New Britain, including the mayor. Pastor Dana Smith of New Life II ministries was at the event, as well has New Britain NAACP President Monique Simmons and NAACP Treasurer Sam Simmons.

Elected officials present included Ward 2 Council member, Ald. Lori McAdam (D-2), and Ward 3 Council member, Ald. Candyce Scott (D-3).

McAdam discussed statistics on fines and arrests of homeless residents of the city, and proposals that were introduced by the Council’s Democratic majority in February designed to address that. She said that she wanted the event on Sunday to be a chance for the voices of the unhoused to be heard, and invited people facing homelessness to speak.

Homelessness, together with the high cost of housing, have been growing concerns, with rent and housing costs becoming unaffordable for many people.

One of the proposals would create a new clarifying exception to the city’s prohibition on loitering. The change would say that,

Nothing in this article shall be construed to prohibit individuals to sit, stand, eat, consume non-alcoholic beverages, sleep, converse, pray and/or read in public places, parks and sidewalks.

Concerns have been expressed that the city has used the rules against loitering in a way that has the effect of pushing homeless residents from public parks, such as New Britain’s downtown Central Park.

Another proposal would reduce the fine for violations of the city’s general prohibition on panhandling. Present ordinances place $99 fine for panhandling. The proposal would change this to, $10 for a first offense, $15 for a second and $20 for additional offenses.

But neither proposal has been approved. Both are tabled in the Council’s Committee on Planning, Zoning and Housing, the second committee to which the proposal have been sent.

When the Council was about to dissolve its Consolidated Committee, the Council, in April, voted the proposals out of that committee. But the votes were party-line, with Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed. Voting no would have, for all intents and purposes, defeated the proposals.

Business owners spoke at the public hearing portion of the April meeting against the proposals, talking about about negative effects on their businesses, customers and employees of homeless people sleeping in front of their businesses and panhandling their customers. They also connected concerns about loitering and panhandling to larger concerns about public urination, threating behavior and vandalism.

Republican Council members defended existing loitering restrictions and fines as important “tools” in the city’s strategy for addressing homelessness, including bringing the city Police Department’s “navigators” team before the Committee to discuss their work.

Democratic Council members, however, alluded to the contradiction between city’s officials’ glowing appraisal of the city’s programs to address homelessness and the imperative expressed by businesses that more needs to be done to address the human needs in the city. Democrats called it a problem of resources, noting that only three homelessness navigators must mean a large caseload for them.

Speaking at the event on Sunday, Ald. Scott said she believes that, “prevention is the key and making sure we don’t allow more individuals to become homeless.” Saying that she empathizes with people who are unhomed, Scott added,

Rent, taxes, and assessment on property are up which is making it almost impossible for people to afford a home. It is sad because housing, food, education, medical care, safety, and education are fundamental human rights. We are all humans and we need to respect one another. It is ironic that we have high priced apartments, we are giving tax breaks to developers, who are not providing enough affordable housing right here in downtown New Britain. We also have elected officials who have said if you don’t like the high rent cost you should just deal with it. This is unacceptable because it only takes one person, one family member in a home to become medically ill to lose everything due to high medical bills. This is difficult for some people to understand because there are so many negative stigmas about the unhomed. However, the reality is most unhomed simply can not afford rent.

“We need to care more about human rights and access to fundamental rights,” Scott said. “If one person is unhomed we all should be concerned.”

Not Just Us says it,

is a statewide collaborative, which has over 750 members from across the state of Connecticut, which advocates for students and their families of diversity, including race, faith, LGBQTIA+, foster and adoptive, disabilities, indigenous, and lower socioeconomic incomes. We have held numerous statewide Zoom events and New Britain will be our next in person event. We advocate for housing, mental health, financial, medical, educational, and recreational needs for all individuals. We have held these events in Hartford, Ellington, New London, Waterbury, Bridgeport, Torrington, Rocky Hill, Norwalk, Middletown, Southbury, New Haven, Tolland, and Bloomfield.