NHS Kicks Off NeighborWorks Week 2017!

On Saturday, June 3rd, NeighborWorks America officially kicked off their NeighborWorks Week events around the country. This year's theme is NeighborWorks Works!

NeighborWorks Week is a nationwide celebration of the good that comes out of neighbors working and playing together. Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven and the entire NeighborWorks network are committed to bringing about positive change by improving lives and strengthening communities. NHS is helping residents thrive in New Haven, ensuring that the core needs of individuals are met by listening to our neighbors, no matter their income or professional position, and providing or linking residents to essential services.

This year, NHS of New Haven's volunteer event was themed "NeighborWorks Works for Veterans!"

Staff from both NHS and Save the Sound (a local nonprofit that aims to protect and improve the land, air, and water of Connecticut and the Long Island Sound) came together at the home of veteran, Loreen Lawrence, to make minor repairs and additions which included: sanding and staining a wheelchair ramp at the back of her home, landscaping in the front and backyards, as well as installing an eco-friendly rain barrel, storm drain and rain garden.

We simply cannot thank Kendal Barbery (Save the Sound) and her staff enough! Kendal worked the entire week prior to our kickoff with senior students from Hopkins School in order to prepare the rain garden installation. Kendal was also kind enough to teach the Hopkins Students (and NHS staff) the intricacies of designing and building a system that connects the gutters, rain barrel, storm drain and rain garden. The project will help diminish storm water runoff in the West River and the Long Island Sound and help prevent raw sewage from entering the water system unfiltered. 

At the rear of the home, NHS staff worked diligently on landscaping, as well as performing simple and small repairs to the wheelchair ramp and backyard deck. Staffers also managed to fit in time to stain the deck with a special traction paint.

The work is far from done, but NHS staff members are so proud to have been able to help a Veteran homeowner enjoy her home just a little bit more, become more environmentally savvy, and have a gorgeous deck to relax on. We look forward to a few more volunteer events at Loreen's home.

A few pictures of the event are below, and more can be found on our facebook page: www.facebook.com/nhsofnewhaven.

Meet the Instructor: Leslie Radcliffe!

NHS of New Haven is proud to announce our Inaugural Environmental Leadership Series! 

Learn about the environment and your neighborhood, connect with useful resources and people, and aspire to create your own environmental projects.

This year's workshops are as follows:

June 13, 2017: Climate, Health, and Neighborhoods
June 20, 2017: Home Energy-Efficiency, Going Solar, and Other Renewable Solutions
July 11, 2017: Planning a Project
July 18, 2017: Water in Your Home and Neighborhood
August 1, 2017: Talking Trash, Managing Waste, and Greening Neighborhood Spaces
August 8, 2017: Transportation Matters and Project Showcase

Leslie Radcliffe will be facilitating our third workshop on Planning Your Project!

Leslie Radcliffe is a life-long resident of New Haven. Her association with NHS began almost two decades ago when she began her journey to become a homeowner. In addition to attending financial literacy workshops, first-time homebuyer seminars, landlord classes, and resident leadership programs at NHS, Leslie has attended two Community Leadership Institute national programs, completed the New Haven Citizens Academy, graduated from the New Haven Democracy School, and is certified member of the Community Emergency Response Team. Active in service to her community, she worked with other residents, Urban Resources Initiative and New Haven Land Trust to establish the Truman Street Community Garden and Greenspace; is a Board member of the City of New Haven City Plan Commission; holds a seat on the New Haven Farms Community Advisory Board; serves as Secretary on the NHS Executive Board; reactivated the Truman Street Block Watch; participates in her District Management Team; holds office and serves faithfully in her church; and is a devoted mom and grandmother. She advocates for her community by working with residents, municipal and non-profit agencies, and other stakeholders for the betterment of her neighborhood and community. Her outlook on neighborhood improvement is ‘we may not be able to change the world but we can start right where we are ... yard by yard, block by block, street by street, neighborhood by neighborhood …’.   

His previous work included community organizing, human rights, youth leadership development, public health, and homeless support.

APPLY TODAY!!

Participants must attend at least five of the workshops listed above. 

Sessions will be held from 6pm-8pm at NHS of New Haven. Dinner will be provided. 

Visit our website to apply today! 

The application, as well as $20 registration fee, is due by June 6, 2017!

University of New Haven Students Spend Alternative-Spring-Break as NHS Volunteers

The staff in Community Building and Organizing (CBO) had the pleasure of hosting four students from the University of New Haven for four days of community service during their “Alternative Spring Break,” March 13 through March 17.  Although the cold temperatures and Tuesday’s disruptive blizzard created challenging circumstances for outdoor service work, the students persevered.

On Monday afternoon, CBO Specialist Adam Rawlings supervised the crew as they spread wood chips for walking trails in a section of Beaver Pond Park bordered by Sherman Parkway, commonly known as “Sherman Forest.” In doing so, the students chipped into ongoing efforts that have transformed this park space over the last few years, thanks to the joint effort of NHS of New Haven, Urban Resources Initiative, the New HavenDepartment of Parks and Recreation, and the Friends of Beaver Pond Park.   

After Tuesday’s snowstorm brought Greater New Haven to a standstill, the students returned on Wednesday and contributed to snow removal efforts in the Newhallville neighborhood.  Elias Estabrook, AmeriCorps VISTA and Residential Engagement Specialist, coordinated the crew as they joined ten employees of EMERGE CT, Inc. to clear snow and ice from the sidewalks around NHS-owned vacant properties (in NHS’ portfolio for future development). In the afternoon, Adam and Elias led the students in freeing the sidewalk around the Ivy Street Community Garden, a resident-run garden routinely supported by NHS. 

On Thursday, the students got a break from the cold and assisted staff of the CBO department and HomeOwnership Center by preparing attendees’ handouts for upcoming classes. By devising a coordinated “assembly line,” they printed, stapled, hole-punched and compiled the materials in record time.

Over the course of the week, the four volunteers gave a boost to all three NHS’ departments and witnessed the breadth of our organization’s programs. We greatly appreciate their service.

If you or your organization is looking to volunteer with NHS of New Haven, visit our website and submit a volunteer application.

Cleaning up with Squash Haven!

Nine Squash Haven students, one Squash Haven staff member, and two NHS staff members braved the chilly temperature to clean up around the Ivy Street Community Garden in Newhallville on Sunday, November 20. All together, they raked and collected 48 bags of leaves and other yard waste – a record for an NHS supported event!

NHS Workshop With SeeClickFix

written by Vishakha Negi

Members of the audience were prompted to
answer a few questions about their community,
the first of which was why they cared about it.

Why do we care about our community? 
The answer may seem obvious. We live there. Some of us work there. It's where we were raised and want to raise our children. At the SeeClickFix workshop co-hosted with NHS on June 23^rd, however, even more answers materialized. People cared about the impact their community could have on the larger environment, the availability of essentials like groceries and jobs, and the implications it could have for future generations. These answers were a result of an activity during the workshop, which prompted a conversation about what it means to improve communities, as well as how one could go about improving them. As the name of the workshop suggests, the solution that was discussed was an app called SeeClickFix.

SeeClickFix members Nadine Herring, Andrew Johnston and Amanda Parr ran through the basics of the app. Users can share images with comments about issues in their community not only with other community members, but also the relevant authorities. As a result of this process, the issue could be quickly fixed. As an audience member aptly pointed out during the workshop, some individuals may not have smartphone access. Luckily, members of SeeClickFix assured the audience that libraries throughout New Haven would be trained to enter the relevant issues through SeeClickFix’s online platform, and so individuals without smartphones could just share their concerns at a local library. A picture would not be necessary at all – just the issue and the location. SeeClickFix is a viable platform for all individuals and a powerful tool for transforming how we see our communities and take charge of them.

The end result of a brainstorming session on why we care about our communities
and what aspects of it could be improved. Members of See Click Fix finally sorted
these responses into relevant categories like Environment, Investment, Local Pride
and Education.

NHS plans to continue with the workshops, especially because this one was so well-received by both participants and facilitators alike. 

Here is an excerpt from a blog post, which SeeClickFix wrote about the workshop:

“At SeeClickFix, we are grateful for the privilege to work alongside Neighborhood Housing Services and the actively engaged residents and governments dedicated to taking pragmatic steps towards improving their towns and cities. We are dedicated to providing a platform where all voices are given a chance to be heard, where respect is shared and communicated, and where education inspires engagement, awareness leads to involvement, and initiative generates change.”

We are truly lucky to have these opportunities to partner with SeeClickFix. By working together, we are able to better address the issues that affect quality of life in the community.

Community Event!

NeighborWorks® Week 2016: Creating Opportunity to Serve

Bike & Build is a nonprofit organization that organizes cross-country cycling trips to benefit affordable housing in the United States. In between their riding days, each group takes the time to "build" and volunteer at different organizations that promote affordable housing.

On Wednesday, June 1, NHS welcomed 30 cyclists at the intersection of Sherman Parkway and West Division Street. Once there, the group joined another 25 volunteers from the Hopkins School in a massive clean-up around Beaver Ponds Park.

The two groups transformed the strip of land by pulling weeds, planting flowers, picking up trash, and distributing mulch around the trees. It was a beautiful transformation and we encourage everyone to drive by Sherman Parkway to see all of the work that has been done!

You can find more photos of our volunteers on our facebook page.

Neighborhood Clean Up Event!

Volunteer Planting Event!

On Saturday, April 9th, there will be a volunteer planting event and celebration of the Pond Lily Dam removal!  
Please contact Annalisa Paltauf (Apaltauf@savethesound.org) with any questions and to RSVP.

Cleaning up Beaver Ponds Park with Local College Students

Update (3/23/16):
We received this great note this morning:

"Thank you, UNH students, and Neighborhood Housing Services, for your heroic work cleaning up the badly neglected Sherman Avenue side of Beaver Ponds Parks. We, as Friends of Beaver Ponds Park, thank you for your arduous work clearing old bottles and even the kitchen sink out of the park.

Nan Bartow 

Bill Bidwell

Friends of Beaver Ponds Park"

-----

All this week (March 14-18), University of New Haven students have been working with NHS to clean up Beaver Ponds Park, along Sherman Parkway. They were joined on Friday, March 18 with a few more students from Yale, and together they picked up trash and debris from the site.

Stephen Cremin-Endes (NHS) addressing the group

Beaver Ponds Park is owned by the City of New Haven and is an approximately 107-acre park that includes athletic fields (including Bowen Field) and an approximately 86-acre wetland and pond system. Friends of Beaver Ponds Park is a community group active in preserving and enhancing the pond areas for recreational uses.

Trash funneling into the pond.

A trash study was conducted in 2009. The study found that residential waste including plastic bags, bottles, cigarette butts, food wrappers, etc. from the areas surrounding Beaver Pond Park are improperly discarded and are transported by the stormwater system into the pond. Click here to learn more about this issue.

5 trash bags collected in just one morning!

UNH Student, Brianna

University of New Haven student, Brianna, says, 
"I haven't done a ton of community service and wanted some new experiences. We're always learning about other students going to exotic places for spring break to clean up, but sometimes where you really need the help is locally."

LtR: UNH Students Jen & Sarah

Sarah, a sophomore at UNH says, "I chose to volunteer as part of an Alternative Spring Break. I wanted to get more involved. When I first got here, [the Pond] was disgusting. There were bottles everywhere, from one end to the other."

Jen says "I’ve never really done anything like this. So I thought why not? And you have an entire week to do it. I actually enjoy it. It’s nice to feel like you’re making a difference." 

Cleaning up everything -- including the kitchen sink!

Thank you to all our volunteers! 

For more information about this activity, or any of our other volunteer opportunities, feel free to reach out to Stephen Cremin-Endes, Director of Community Building & Organizing at NHS: scremin-endes@nhsofnewhaven.org.

Common Ground Community Calendar

Hello NHS Family & Friends!

 We wanted to share with you this calendar of community events from one of our favorite partners, Common Ground CT! Click the photo to find out more information on Common Ground's website.

Common Ground High Schoolers get an Early Spring Start in the Ivy Street Garden

On Wednesday, March 2nd, first-year students from the Common Ground School joined NHS at the Ivy Street Garden in New Haven to help rake leaves, plant bulbs, and bring some life back to the garden!

We thank the students for all their help. View more photos of their hard work on our facebook page.

NHS Staff Attend Community Housing Capital's 15-Year Anniversary

On February 22, 2016, NHS staffers attended the Community Housing Capital's 15-year Anniversary of serving the affordable housing developers of the NeighborWorks network. The event took place in the Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, Georgia.

During the event, all the guests were inspired by the message of hope and gratitude expressed by Angela Caraway, a resident of the Water Gardens Apartments developed by DHIC in North Carolina, and Sandra Marshall, who was able to purchase the home she has rented for the last 15 years with the help of NHS of Cleveland.

It was a fantastic event and NHS was proud to be in attendance.

LtR: Jessica Buchanan, Whitney Jordan, Jim Paley, Love Jackson, Beonca Duncan

LtR: Jessica Buchanan, Whitney Jordan, Love Jackson, Beonca Duncan

 

Apply Today: Resident Leadership Program!

* note: you do not have to be a New Haven resident to participate

Applications for the Spring 2016 Resident Leadership Program are currently being accepted! Click here to download the application.

In March 2010, Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven launched its Building Leaders, Building Communities: Resident Leadership Program. The program was an essential element of the training and education component of our Neighborhood Revitalization Institute.

Based on a curriculum developed in conjunction with our national partner, NeighborWorks®America, the program consists of five units. The primary goals of this program are to transfer concrete leadership skills to New Haven residents, create a space for participants to share their experiences with one another and increase their sense of being agents of change. One key to achieving these goals starts with the fundamental belief that participants and the communities they represent are assets. Oftentimes leadership programs are built to fill in the “missing gaps” in emerging leaders rather than to hone the strengths they already possess or allow time to build confidence and skills. This program aims to change that paradigm.

Please contact Stephen Cremin-Endes by email or phone at (203) 562-0598 ext. 222 for details regarding our Spring 2016 series! 

We are excited to be able to offer a new round of workshops for this year's program, and they are:

Building Leaders, Building Communities Curriculum

Unit One: The Art and Science of Leadership

Unit Two: Mapping Community Assets

Unit Three: Understanding Power for Community Change

Unit Four: Planning Successful Campaigns

Unit Five: Leading Great Meetings

NHS & Emerge CT

Happy Tuesday!

We wanted to share with you this incredibly powerful video for Emerge CT created by the United Way of Greater New Haven.

NHS of New Haven has been utilizing Emerge as part of our contractor force for nearly four years.  They are adept at gutting buildings, constructing fences, constructing bases for lamposts, installing and maintaining landscapes, and snow removal.

Emerge has been 100% reliable and is a dependable partner in our efforts to revitalize New Haven’s neighborhoods.   It is a well-managed organization that has served NHS’s as well as their core mission very well.  NHS prides itself on the fact that although our focus is on rebuilding houses, we recognize that rebuilding lives also rebuilds neighborhoods.  The people of Emerge CT, both managers and workers, have been a pleasure to work with and are very efficient at performing whatever task we employ them to accomplish.  We hope that this relationship can continue for many years, to the benefit of all involved.

News Coverage -- "Solar For All" Kick-Off Event

On Wednesday, January 20th, NHS of New Haven hosted a press conference brought to New Haven by PosiGen, the CT Green Bank, and the New Haven Energy Task Force. The Press Conference, attended by Governor Dannel Malloy, kicked off PosiGen's dedication to bringing solar energy to homeowners of all income throughout the Greater New Haven area and all of Connecticut.

With an illustrious group of speakers, the Press Conference was a great success! We want to thank everyone who attended the event and support solar energy in New Haven. Here are a few links of our press coverage. Simply click a photo to view the article/video.

If you're interested in Solar Energy for your home, please reach out to PosiGen for more information. 

30+ Organizations Call on Mayor Harp to Act on Climate

Henry Dynia, NHS of New Haven

Statements below were shared in a press release. Contact: Sarah Ganong (203) 787-0646 x. 128

On the steps of City Hall today, more than 30 organizations called on the administration of Mayor Toni Harp to continue addressing climate change by updating the city's 2004 climate action plan with new goals and targets. The organizations are asking the city to implement strategies to reduce climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change.

There are many benefits to addressing climate change on the local level, including job creation for New Haven residents, improved health for city residents, and local investment in sustainable energy infrastructure.

The organizations are particularly interested in local climate action after the outcome of the Paris Agreement last December, where over 195 countries agreed to address climate change on both the international and national levels. Commitments from all levels of government are crucial to help the United States meet its targets in the Paris Agreement.

"Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven builds green because it is better for the planet we live on, better for our city and its neighborhoods, and much better for our resident homebuyers, whose energy costs will be as low as half of what it typically costs to heat, cool, and light an unimproved house of comparable age, size, and style. Other benefits include better indoor air quality and durability," said Henry P. Dynia, Jr., Director of Design & Construction. 

Below is the letter to Mayor Harp: 

January 13, 2016

Mayor Toni Harp
New Haven City Hall
165 Church Street
New Haven, CT 06510

Re: A New Climate Action Plan for New Haven

Dear Mayor Harp:

     Connecticut's Global Warming Solutions Act requires the state to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at least eighty percent from 2001 levels by 2050. Governor Malloy created the Governor's Council on Climate Change on Earth Day of 2015 and charged the Council with the task of determining what strategies will enable the state to achieve the 2050 emissions target. The Council's initial report and recommendations will be completed by February 2016.

     It is essential for Connecticut municipalities to do their part in helping the state achieve these  necessary emission reductions. Cities like New Haven are responsible for a significant portion of emissions in Connecticut and should take a proactive role in implementing aggressive emissions reduction strategies. In addition, Connecticut municipalities must develop plans to adapt to the present and future impacts of climate change, including more heat waves, increased flooding, heavier downpours, and more severe weather events. As a coastal city, New Haven is particularly vulnerable to sea level rising and flooding.

     The undersigned organizations are deeply concerned that New Haven has not updated its climate action plan since 2004. The past eleven years have brought significant technological, scientific, and policy changes, which the city's climate action plan must reflect. The state's ability to meet its 2050 emissions reduction target depends on cities like New Haven reducing emissions, and the citizens of New Haven deserve to know how the city will reduce its emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change that cannot be avoided. Moreover, there are co-benefits associated with reducing GHG emissions, such as creating green jobs, reducing air pollution, improving active transportation, and reducing energy costs for New Haven families.

     For the reasons articulated above, we respectfully ask the City of New Haven to fully update its climate action plan as expeditiously as possible. The climate action plan should clearly explain how the city plans to reduce GHG emissions and adapt to climate change impacts. New Haven should also establish GHG reduction targets and interim goals (which should be consistent with state goals) so the city can monitor its progress. We urge the City of New Haven to finalize a climate action plan by July 1, 2016 and begin implementing mitigation and adaptation strategies immediately.

Respectfully,

350 Connecticut

Acadia Center

Amistad Catholic Worker

Bike Walk Connecticut

Citizens Campaign for the Environment

CitySeed

Clean Water Action

Common Ground High School, Urban Farm and Environmental Learning Center

Connecticut Citizen Action Group

Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice

Connecticut Fund for the Environment

Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs

Connecticut Sierra Club

ConnPIRG

Elm City Cycling

Environment Connecticut

Environmental Energy Solutions

Food and Water Watch

Greater New Haven Clean Cities Coalition

Greater New Haven Peace Council

Jewish Community Relations Council

Junta for Progressive Action

Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven

New Haven Bioregional Group

New Haven Land Trust

New Haven Leon Sister City Project

New Haven Rising

New Haven Urban Design League

Saint Thomas More, the Catholic Chapel and Center at Yale University

SolarConnecticut

Toxics Action Center

Unidad Latina en Accion

Yale Climate Action Network

For More Information, please contact:

Shannon Laun, Energy & Environment Attorney 

Connecticut Fund for the Environment

slaun@ctenvironment.org

203-787-0646 x122

Recap: Community Gardens and Outdoor Education, Fall 2015

Work in our community gardens this autumn was more fun than usual due to the enthusiastic participation of several groups of young volunteers. Youth from the ages of 4-17 have helped clear beds, rake leaves, and plant trees and bulbs in the Ivy Street, Stevens Street, and Davenport Street gardens this October and November. By working with local youth programs, we at NHS hope to instill in neighborhood kids a sense of ownership over their public spaces, and provide young people with safe spaces to explore and learn about their environment.

Many hands make light work, no matter how small the hands are – and gardening offers no end to educational opportunities. The youngest kids, through the Citycology program at Solar Youth, had a blast learning about compost and worms at the Ivy Street garden. Older students from Solar Youth learned about bulb planting. Youth from Squash Haven who planted trees in the Stevens Street garden not only learned about hoop houses and tree planting, but also developed quite a knack for riding in wheelbarrows. Common Ground High School students, on their community service day, raked and composted in the Ivy Street garden, and also repaired a fence on the outside of the garden. Even seasoned environmental studies students were surprised by what they learned. One freshman from the Sound School, while working along the Farmington Canal Trail, admitted that before he and his classmates saw which bulbs we were planting, he had been confused about why anyone would think burying lightbulbs would be a good idea.

One of the best parts of community gardening with students is that no question is too basic to ask. Outside of a classroom, in an environment without grades or rubrics, curiosity trumps embarrassment, and lessons students understood theoretically become much more real. One Sound School student exclaimed, as she raked up leaves by the community wall on Shelton Avenue, 

“Now I know where all the wrappers go when I drop them on the ground at the bus stop! They all blow over here and then I have to pick them up!” 

A sense of responsibility over the cleanliness of her neighborhood? Check.

We are looking forward to more outdoor programming this spring.