Goal
Our first goal was to build six transitional tiny homes in the backyard of the Amistad House.
This has substantially improved the wellbeing of the 8 people who now live in them.
Now, we need to electrify the units to provide heat.
After several of our brave neighbors showed up at city hall to request to speak with the mayor, he sat down and heard their stories firsthand--of what it's like to sleep outside during winter. We are thrilled the city of New Haven has (after 3 months) legally permitted electricity for our neighbors. Getting heat was a welcome gift this winter.
On March 12th, the New Haven Zoning Board voted to approve a zoning variance.
This was a critical step in protecting our neighbors from being evicted from their new homes. It took two pro bono law firms and hundreds of hours to arrive here. We thank all of the generous people who are helping us every day!
Upgrade the community hut.
For over a decade, the community has gathered in the backyard to have communal meals or stay warm by the fire or Amistad's community hut. As more and more people seek safety in the backyard, we hope to provide them with an enclosed space with electricity, protection from the elements, and a wood burning stove.
The tiny homes were assembled by a crew of over 50 volunteers. Building them has strengthened the backyard community and demonstrated to the city that there is a smart, humane, and economical way of providing shelter for all people who are unhoused in New Haven. (These tiny homes cost about 15% of what the city is currently paying per person for affordable housing.)
Helping our unhoused neighbors
What is the Rosette Neighborhood Village?
Established to give people experiencing homelessness in the New Haven area a safe, reliable, and dignified home to live in while they seek permanent housing, the Rosette Neighborhood Village consists of 6 semi-permanent, transitional housing units, built on private land, and supported by the Amistad House of Hospitality. These weather-resistant homes include a bed, and are electricity-ready for temperature control. They also include storage for personal belongings and a lockable door. Electricity will be supplied by Amistad , and residents will have access to bathroom, shower, and kitchen facilities in the main house.
Beyond transforming the lives of the people who live there, the Rosette Neighborhood Village is demonstrating to the city that there is a better way to address homelessness—a way that is empowering, dignified, and more affordable than current options.
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T
FROM this:
Criminalized and sleeping outside
TO this:
Supported in a safe and dignified housing community
Why is this model a better way to address homelessness?
Preferred—Many people experiencing homelessness prefer this to other, less empowering, options.
Stabilizing—This model of transitional housing works better than a shelter or a warming center because it provides a home; a safe, private space, where people can stop focusing their efforts on survival and start working towards permanent housing.
Empowering —Being welcomed into a neighborhood, to be a neighbor to others, promotes self-
confidence and responsibility. This enables residents to knit back into the larger
community and pay forward the hospitality that has been offered to them.
Proven—We are following a proven model of transitional housing that currently exists throughout the
country in places such as Boston MA, Los Angeles CA, Burlington VT, and Portland OR. It’s never been done in CT.
Affordable—It’s half the cost of other options. Using this model, the city could functionally end
homelessness
