Seven homeless activists were in court Thursday following their arrest earlier this week at an encampment set up on the New Haven Green.
Mark Colville said they were using tents that he says are not allowed, according to what he was told by police. His court hearing was continued until Dec. 4.
The activists are calling on the city to provide a place where those who are homeless can live in tents outside, following several encampment sweeps throughout the city in the last few years.
It’s one of the issues they’d like to see addressed as their protest continues on the New Haven Green.
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“We set up 25 tents when we got here. They were filled in less than an hour and we had consistently 30 to 50 people sleeping here every night,” Colville said.
Those tents were ordered to come down on Monday and when Mark Colville and six others refused, they were arrested. A crowed gathered in support outside of their court appearance on Thursday.
“I understand what I’m out here for and I honestly don’t see it as a crime,” said Alexis, an unhoused activist who opted not to provide her last name.
She said she’s sleeping outside while she waits for her apartment lease to be finalized.
“I’m happy to move, ready to move, and at this point ready to pay whatever is necessary to remove me from my current environmental situation because it’s just too much for me, mental health wise," she said.
Alexis said going from the streets to stable housing is a difficult process involving case management, assistance programs and inspections.
“A lot of the deeply affordable housing units for low income and voucher holders, they are not up to code, they are not up to standard," she said.
There are many reasons why people find themselves without a home, and Colville said shelters aren’t always a best solution.
“Many of them can’t use shelters because they have trauma because of their experience of homelessness,” Colville said.
So, they’re out on the green, asking the city to make a permanent space for people to live in tents after several encampment clean-ups this year.
But the mayor said propane heaters, waste and other issues raise concerns.
“We have made a decision that that is not a safe and appropriate way to help support people that are homeless,” New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said.
He said they continue to offer services to those who want them, and they helped 15 people from the encampment find a place in local shelters.
“We’re here to help and we should be working together to help support the most vulnerable in our community," Elicker said.
The mayor pointed out that six of the seven people arrested are activists with homes - and two of those six were Yale students.
Despite Elicker’s position, Colville said they’re going to continue pushing for public land where people can live in tents.
“We are going to continue to agitate and advocate for that to come into reality because that frankly would bring New Haven back into compliance with the United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights," Colville said.
