{"id":871,"date":"2019-10-18T19:38:52","date_gmt":"2019-10-18T19:38:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/2019\/10\/18\/20191018hamden-plans-to-crack-down-on-blighted-properties\/"},"modified":"2020-09-05T19:26:42","modified_gmt":"2020-09-05T19:26:42","slug":"20191018hamden-plans-to-crack-down-on-blighted-properties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/2019\/10\/18\/20191018hamden-plans-to-crack-down-on-blighted-properties\/","title":{"rendered":"Hamden plans to crack down on blighted properties"},"content":{"rendered":"

Residents voiced concerns while Mayor Curt Leng was on the campaign trail<\/p>\n

By Peter Dewey<\/p>\n

Hamden Mayor Curt Leng is planning a new initiative, \u201cHamden fights blight,\u201d to clean up abandoned and unsightly properties in town.<\/p>\n

Leng, who mentioned this idea in a radio interview with the New Haven Independent<\/span><\/a> on Oct. 3, said that he found blight was a common theme among resident concerns while campaigning door-to-door for the Democratic primary this fall. <\/p>\n

\u201cResidents talked about quality of life issues and improving the neighborhoods,\u201d Leng said. \u201cThat ranged from street paving sidewalks, trees, traffic and blight. It is something that I have been interested in since I was on the council.\u201d<\/p>\n

The town has compiled a \u201chot-list\u201d of seven properties that need immediate attention. <\/p>\n

The locations given to the planning and zoning department include: 37 Stevens St., 922 Winchester Ave., 2038 State St., 293 Goodrich St., 891 Dixwell Ave., 635 Wintergreen Ave. and 560 Newhall St.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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The old Hamden Middle School, located at 560 Newhall St., is one of the seven blighted properties on the town\u2019s hot list. Mayor Curt Leng is making renovation of the property a priority.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

While Leng said that the \u201chot-list\u201d includes these seven properties, he said there are about 20 to 25 properties in Hamden that he believes will need attention.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the zoning world, we\u2019re going to try something called \u2018Hamden fights blight,\u2019\u201d Leng said. \u201cIt means that we\u2019re going to be a little more aggressive attacking the blight list that we have, that we know about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of the seven properties, Leng said there are five residential, one commercial and one town-owned.<\/p>\n

The town-owned property is the old Hamden Middle School, located at 560 Newhall St. <\/p>\n

\u201cLeaving the school like that lowers the property value,\u201d Shanelle Rudolph said. \u201cThe neighbors are upset.\u201d<\/p>\n

The middle school has been abandoned for several years after it was found to be built on top of a former toxic waste dump.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t remember how long its been (since the middle school has been abandoned) but it has been a very long time,\u201d Mike Ortega, a member of the parks department, said. \u201cI heard the talk of the town was turning the property into elderly housing or low income housing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Residents in the area have expressed concern with the fact that the abandoned property doesn\u2019t represent their community well. <\/p>\n

\u201cI would like the town to hire people and come clean (the old middle school) up,\u201d Anne Marie Cruz, a Hamden resident, said. \u201cWhen (graffiti on buildings) happens at Yale, they clean it up the next day, because they don\u2019t want to offend anyone.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the way we should think. There are very nice people from all walks of life living around here. There\u2019s a lot of diversity and that\u2019s what I think makes it nice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cruz, who lives on Sheffield Street, said that she knows of another house abandoned there after the owners passed away. She said someone still cleans the property, but that it hasn\u2019t been lived in for a while. <\/p>\n

Leng was adamant that the crack down on blight will be used for places that are empty household or abandoned properties. <\/p>\n

He also said that this will occur after attempts to contact and get the property owner to clean the property are not successful.<\/p>\n

Hamden residents are also eager for the town to clean up a property on 922 Winchester Ave. (shown below).<\/p>\n