April 2024 Fair Haven CMT Retreat

What’s Going Well?

• Meeting format is efficient
• Better location than the police substation
• There’s a diverse population in Fair Haven
• Proposed development projects in our neighborhood are exciting!
• Shared culture
• Complex and effective collaboration
• Solutions-oriented, which promotes more engagement
• We live in a beautiful city!
• There are fun events in our neighborhood; festivals and annual parades promote community
• Newly-elected officials, including alders, are active in the neighborhood.
• Speed bumps have been installed throughout neighborhood
• Neighborhood cleanups
• Responsive policing—a major improvement
• Beautiful murals

Questions that emerged from the discussion:

• What exactly is the purpose of management teams?
• How can we keep the community clean and manage the litter problem?
• How do we engage our monolingual Spanish-spekaing neighbors and promote access at these meetings?
• How do we inspire young people to come to the CMT meetings and join our efforts?

Personal Reflections:

Why are you here?

Because I love Fair Haven.

To interact with others

To improve myself, the community, and the world

To understand who are we and how we get things done

I want to participate with other neighbors to grow Fair Haven more.

To participate with friends and neighbors

I choose to live/work in Fair Haven because…

…people care about one another and I feel known. How can we make sure this is true for everyone in our community?

…the people and families here.

…it’s more affordable than other parts of the city, and convenient to shops and services.

…I didn’t have a choice.

… it’s a small community that meets all the needs of the Fair Haven community.

…I have a personal relationship with Fair Haven’s past history of manufacturing and the Quinnipiac River.

…I love the diversity of people and the beauty of the river.

…it is a great access point in New Haven—quick to 95/91 and also downtown; great pizza, parks, people, culture, food trucks, boat house, waterfront, bridges—it’s a great look.

…of its diversity and culture

…of the beauty of the river and the history.

…of its culture, multilingualism, and outstanding citizens.

…I originally moved here because it was less expensive than downtown, but I stay because I am accepted. I enjoy the diversity. I enjoy the activities, and I enjoy the (relative) quiet.

Our statement of purpose resonates with me because…

…I think our communities are sustained by the engagement of constitutive members!!!

…it’s what I believe people in the community do believe.

…it’s comprehensive and covers many important issues and topics.

…anything for the people.

…it is very important to build a community and provide a safe haven for the Fair Haven community.

…the community development and caring is real.

…it is positive, building community and improving the quality of life in Fair Haven is certainly something we all want and staying connected with law enforcement is essential in our culture.

…the sustainability focus with the river.

…it emphasizes collaboration with the community and looks to develop community through collaboration.

…I look to strengthening citizens and community.

…I am happy there’s a group of people concerned with all these things.

What part of this statement of purpose most resonates with you? What part of this statement of purpose least resonates with you?

Most: to build community. Least: Management of community-based partnerships. I see the CMT as a connector first and foremost

Most: the part about integration because people that care do collaborate. I’d like to see something about culture meeting structures.

Most: quality of life and safety. Least: Sustainable community development.

Everything is important, but sustainable community development the least.

Most: quality of life and safety

Collaborating with neighbors and building community

Most: management of sustainable community development

Most: sustainability

Most: collaboration

Most: quality of life and safety

These words are hard to connect with day-to-day reality.

What work do we need to do more of?

Engaging more Fair Haven people

Outreach—getting more nations and generations here would be good

More initiatives to improve quality of life—reduce noise (loud music and cars), crack down on dirt bikes, etc.

Litter campaign

Increasing enforcing of traffic and parking laws

Stop illegal dumping

Hosting events that bring people together

Stronger personal access to police to resist negative trends in crime

Accessibility

Seeing great ideas come to fruition. Projects are ideas start off great and then sometimes stagnate.

Multilingual focus

Encouraging interpersonal relationships

What work do we need to do less of?

CDBG grant presentations/letters—lots of time taken up: not sure they really connect residents to resources

Presentations of requests for funds.

Less talk of what our political leaders think they can do for us

I can contribute more to this collective, this meeting, or this community by…

…outreach efforts.

…changing the conversation when I hear out in the community that we’re “not cared about.”

…continuing to press city officials to improve quality of life issues.

…working on the community gardens and partnering with neighbors.

…being more available to help at community activities.

…advocating for more accessibility at meetings.

…taking a more active approach.

…promoting bilingual (English/Spanish) community activism and engagement.

…continuing to show up, helping with vegetable gardens and library activities.

Right now, I am feeling…

…grateful for the people here.

…happy to continuously see people here that care so much about the place we call home.

…optimistic.

…excited

…satisfied but looking forward to making this part of Greater New Haven a nicer place to live

…pressured.

…part of this great neighborhood.

…positive, but a bit overwhelmed from my employment. I know I should contribute more.

…comfortable

…great. I always feel good at these meetings. It is evident that all CMT members have a strong commitment to inspiring Fair Haven community.

…happy, confident, empowered, proud to be a Fair Havener with a more focused vision of FHCMTs mission.

…committed to staying in Fair Haven.

Miscellaneous Comments

• Our Vision in Action could include a section for “Education and Youth,” as well as “Social Services and Basic Needs.”

Personal Commitments: Short Term

Keep the conversation of things that are going well going, encourage those with concerns to come to FHCMT

Recruit youth*

Community gardens**

Attend meetings; continue to give input*

Help with accessibility*

Keep the pressure on city officials to improve the quality of life and communicate more openly with residents regarding economic development **

Personal Commitments: Long Term

Bring people with concerns about our community to these meetings*

Multilingual/bilingual advocacy**

Authentic inclusion of ALL groups in the FHCMT process and structure**

Make sure our money is spent well

Build our leadership team and diversify; plan succession for sustainable future of the team*

Collective Commitments: Short Term

Try to talk more about Fair Haven positively and what’s going on in public settings

Influence united efforts

Fair Haven CMT should LEAD the CMTs in accessibility

Outreach and recruitment—increase our numbers*

Research options and tech for multilingual meetings*

Expand community-based ESL*

Collective Commitments: Long Term

Join Lee with tours or create a new tour**

Close the generation gap***

Authentic inclusion of ALL groups in the FHCMT process

Keep the momentum!**

Promote more and better use of the waterfront.*

Consistency in addressing neighborhood issues but from a solutions-oriented perspective*