Energized by the Milner and MLK school campaign wins, CAC entered its third year of community organizing highly anticipating what would be next. None of us imagined that it would be supporting low-income residents take on a millionaire slumlord owning more than 25% of Hartford’s low-income housing.
Residents of the Clay Arsenal Renaissance Apartments (CARA) were living in horrific conditions despite the property’s owner, Emmanuel Ku, receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax abatements from the City of Hartford and $1.6 million in federal subsidy from Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
With CAC’s help, CARA resident leaders – Joshua Serrano, Teri Morrison, Milagros Ortiz, JesLyn Seyon, and Yulissa Espinal – began organizing a No More Slumlords Campaign! On July 11, 2017, CARA leaders held a public meeting with HUD to demand action and open an inquiry into how Ku was able to secure HUD properties given his notorious reputation. The meeting drew large media attention and put pressure on HUD, Ku, and his management team to act.
Resident leaders spent months doing action research, conducting multiple door-knocking campaigns, and holding regular meetings with HUD. By the second public meeting on December 14, 2017, CARA resident leaders had forced:
- Ku to launch a four-phased massive repair plan,
- The City of Hartford to revise its municipal code around housing code enforcement,
- Congressman Larson to launch an investigation with Dr. Ben Carson, Secretary of HUD, on Ku’s ability to purchase HUD housing,
- ·Mayor Luke Bronin to increase the number of CARA units inspected by 30 percent and enforce the City’s Certificate of Apartment Occupancy (CAO) policy (failure to comply would cost Ku $99 per day, per unit), and
- City Councilwoman Glendowlyn Thames to pass a resolution calling for the City’s tax abatement committee to review Ku’s abatement contract.
The fight continues, but the resident leaders are strong.
With multiple wins under its belt, CAC’s community organizing efforts continue to grow! We have hired a new Community Organizer, Tieasha Gayle, to begin work on South Marshall Street in Hartford’s Asylum Hill neighborhood. CAC now has its sights on bringing together leaders from the various campaigns to build a powerful North End Core Team.
