I first reported this building’s blight in April of 2014: http://seeclickfix.com/issues/1033129
The issue was never acknowledged by any city official on SeeClickFix—and my emails to Alder Dolores Colon and to LCI received no replies.

You have an email paper trail. Use it and contact New Haven Legal Assistance. I'm assuming you're a tenant? If so, you have more rights than the owner.

Also contact Channel 8, consumer help and Paul Bass at New Haven Independent. A little bad press goes a long way!

Thanks! I contacted Paul Bass and Channel 8. I'm actually a neighbor of the tenant, who just moved out. I had helped him navigate the Housing Court--twice. I filled out the online pdf forms for him, printed them and guided him through the process. He finally realized the landlord was not going to do anything--and that the city was not going to force her to do so. The landlord really needs to be arrested and the building condemned.

It's too bad they had to move by its also a problem that needs resolving bf someone else moves in!

Have you tried contacting Serena Neal-Sanjurjo, new executive director of LCI directly? I have found her to be open and receptive to issues such as this. I was lucky enough to be at a Management Team Meeting for my neighborhood when Ms Serena Neal-Sanjurjo was at the meeting. Call and ask for her. She said her door is open and she is always available to residents. LCI is always at the Management Team Meetings so be sure to go to this important meeting. Check the City website for the timing of your Management Team Meeting.

Do you have an email address for Serena? I can't find it on the city's website.

UPDATE: As I type this, I have an inspector from the Fire Marshall's office on the way to inspect the blocked rear egress and about-to-collapse rear stairs. I also left voice-mail messages for LCI's executive director Serena Neal-Sanjurjo (203) 946-8436 and Daniel O'Neill, Deputy Building Inspector
203-946-8048. (Mr. O'Neill also has been CC'd on several emails from me to Christopher Soto and Rafael Ramos at LCI; to Ward 6 Alder Dolores Colon [this property is in Ward 6]; to Tomas Reyes Jr, City of New Haven Chief of Staff; and to Tyisha Walker, Board of Alders President. Also BCC'd to various neighbors, etc.)
So do you think SOMEBODY finally will start paying attention??! We'll see. I mean, this IS New Haven, after all...

Well not for lack of trying certainly!!

SHAME! SHAME! SHAME!
Owner of this property, Kirsten Hopes-McFadden of 67 Culver Lane, North Haven 06473, today filed a Small Claims Suit, demanding back rent from the tenants who just had to move out, due to the uninhabitable conditions. I personally can—and in court, will—attest that the apartment was in deplorable condition when they moved in. All subsequent damage has been caused by repeated roof leaks, plumbing leaks, rodents, etc.
HERE'S THE SCAM the landlord/owner has been running for years:
she rents exclusively to people who have a background-check “problem” such as bad credit, which makes it difficult to find a rent. In exchange, the “understanding” is that the renter will not complain about the deplorable conditions. After 4 years of living in a leaking, moldy, rodent-infested building and the owner refusing to make any repairs, the 2nd floor tenants made the “mistake” of taking the owner to Housing Court last year. That resulted in the June 2014 order from LCI—which the owner never complied with.
And LCI never followed up to ensure compliance.
Beginning in Dec. 2014 the owner refused to take the tenants' rent, claiming she would make no repairs “as long as you're living here”.
After the Feb 2015 massive water leakage, LCI issued a new work order—and that same day the owner sent a Notice to Quit to the tenants, for non-payment of rent. The Tenants' “Answer” stated that the owner refused to accept the rent offered. The tenants finally gave up and moved out today.
And today the owner filed suit for back rent.
This is one of the most egregious incidences of an abusive landlord that I've witnessed in many years. (BTW, I have photos and copies of all legal documents exchanged to verify all of the above.)

UPDATE: Making "some" progress! Today an inspector from the Fire Dept checked out the mess in the rear of the building and will issue an order for the owner to clean it up. The inspector also said she will call the Building Dept and recommend they inspect this building from attic to basement for structural problems, building code violations, etc. (LCI only can deal with Housing code issues, e.g. peeling paint, missing smoke detectors. This place is WAY beyond such issues.) Today was the last "official" day of occupancy for the tenant who had to move out, so he invited me in to take more photos, e.g. in bedrooms that his family didn't want me to enter when they all still were living here. So I'll add those to the linked Facebook album soon. I also connected the tenant with New Haven Legal Assistance Inc on State Street. They will help him deal with the landlord's scurrilous lawsuit against the tenant. (Thanks @Newhallville.Community.Matters for the recommendation!)

I'm happy to hear about the progress. We need more residents like you to speak up on behalf of neighbors in bad situations. I applaude you!

Just wanted to say that its really nice to see resident like you all working across NHV neighborhoods.

I always use my real name on the internet to try and control myself from mouthing off too much and thereby getting people PO'd. Doesn't always work...

Way to go Christopher. You are making a difference and not giving up or giving in! You will make your neighborhood a place people will want to come to and one where property values will rise. These are the things we are working for in Chatham Square. We should get neighborhood leaders together to share insights and success stories as well as new strategies.

UPDATE: Condemned yesterday by Building Inspector & LCI (More info to follow!)

Sounds like a victory in the making. Christopher, can you give me the LCI directors' email?

@Newhallville.Community.Matters I just have her phone number: Serena Neal-Sanjurjo (203) 946-8436

Thank you. Did she respond to your call?

No, never got a call-back from my voice-mail message. Because I contacted numerous people at LCI, Health Dept, Fire Dept, Building Dept, I actually don't know what finally got people over here to examine the building.

Ok. I may try email for paper trail purposes.

Christopher call again during business hours and you should get her assistant who should put you through to Serena Neal-Sanjurjo. She has said at CMTs that she is available to residents. I believe she is sincere. If things are going in the right direction for you, I would thank her because there is a good chance she is at least partially responsible, and she is a good friend to have. If things are not happening, let her know.

After speaking with her I got folks out to check on 155/153 Lombard street where there is blight, vermin, and other health and safety issues. Some one came to check it out. Trapped and took away squirrels and told me that the landlord will be taking down the all the old asbestos shingles hanging from the house, sealing up all holes giving animals entrance and would be siding it. And then everything kind of stopped. So I will be calling back again to check on progress and expected time of completion.

Your situation seems much worse, so perhaps once seen that got people working faster. But again, I found Serena to be open to my concerns and her folks showed up to get things going within a week. So I thank her for that, and will thank her even more when the work starts back up and is finished,

Best of luck with your issues.

@Newhallville.Community.Matters Please post her email if you are able to find out what it is. She's a public employee--so her work email should be public information.

Will do.

@Newhallville.Community.Matters
This link has a useful template if you need to request info (e.g. orders issued by LCI or the Building Dept. to an absentee landlord) via the CT Freedom of Information Act: http://www.nfoic.org/connecticut-sample-foia-request
***Here's the actual statute: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/pub/chap014.htm
~~~Here are snail-mail addresses you might find useful:
James Turcio, Building Official
Building Dept.
5th floor
200 Orange Street
New Haven, Connecticut 06510
Serena Neal-Sanjurjo, Exec. Dir.
Livable City Initiative
165 Church Street, 3rd floor
New Haven, Connecticut 06510
(Always send correspondence via certified mail.)

Thank you for the information. I'll keep it in my arsenal!

I live in the city point area and I thank you for all you for our neighborhood.

We are closing old posts prior to 2017, Thank you