Hello!

Before starting I read the pinned comment and looked through and will not ask about the neighborhoods or where to eat pizza (and sadly not interested in table tennis).

Brief introduction: Foreign couple here with a cat. My wife will start a post doc in yale and I will support the family with a part time job + food delivery while studying. This will be our first rental in the USA, we have green cards and SSN, but no credit score or previous landlord letter etc. We lived for the past 2 months near NYC metro in Airbnb and with friends.

• Our first question is do we need a realtor? Where we came from realtors are mostly scammers and not worth working with but we do not have any idea of the situation here and as far as I observe most places do not have any ads on websites such as zillow, I am kinda lost on where I should to the research.

• What is the typical time frame for moving in if the place is available when I apply? Can I move in a few days or will it take weeks since there is security check etc.

• In our home country apartments are the norm, suburbs are a fantasy except for the extremely rich. As far as I saw until now in new have apartments are kinda more expensive from the houses, and I find this weird to be honest, is there a hidden cost with houses?

• How much the utilities typically cost? I saw several posts about wallingford having cheap electricity but I do not know what is the normal price. What about heating, water and such? We do not want to go too north of 2000 on rent but when some places cover the utilities in rent and some don't, it is hard to guess the final monthly cost.

• How far away do you suggest for the comute, we have a car and I feel like driving is faster and safer than the public transport but I do not know the trafic and winter conditions.

Sorry for the long post, Thank you for your time, any suggestions comments are welcome!

Anyone know why the chipotle on Chapel is closed?

i don’t want to order online because packages keep getting stolen, where is a good shop/place to buy a guitar in or close to new haven?

Warning for Foreigners & Postdocs Renting in New Haven: Know Your Rights!

Are you a foreigner, postdoc, or new to New Haven, especially if you’re coming to Yale? Please be aware of serious issues when renting housing here. As a group of tenant advocates who have lived in properties managed by Meiqiang Xie, including 48 Vernon St., New Haven, we want to share our collective experiences to warn potential tenants.

Properties Managed by Meiqiang Xie:

• 154 Minor St., New Haven, CT 06519
• 129 Orchard St., New Haven, CT 06519
• 48 Vernon St., New Haven, CT 06519
• 68 Mechanic St., New Haven, CT 06511

Here’s what you need to know:

• Unsafe Living Conditions: Long-term gas leaks, unresolved infestations, and dangerous maintenance practices (e.g., mushrooms growing from the floor, broken locks, superglued doors).
• Legal Violations: The landlord neglects necessary repairs, raises rent without proper justification, and often forces new tenants into shared living spaces without prior consent or notice.
• Tenant Rights Ignored: Even after ongoing interactions with the New Haven Fair Rent Commission, these unethical practices continue, including violations of tenant privacy and safety concerns.
• Targeting Foreigners and Students: Many international students and postdocs are unaware of their rights, making them vulnerable to exploitation.
• Do Not Pay Until You See the Apartment: Don’t risk sending any money until you’ve physically seen the apartment and verified its condition. Many renters have fallen for misleading listings.

Please be cautious when renting, especially if you’re new to the area. Know your rights and protect yourself from such exploitation. If you need more detailed information, you can read our Reddit post where we provide extensive details about the situation. https://www.reddit.com/r/Connecticut/comments/1eb36gt/warning_slumlord_alert_for_new_haven_residents/

Additional Tenant Issues:

• Never Returns Security Deposits: The landlord, Meiqiang Xie, has a history of refusing to return security deposits, even when tenants win their cases in court. Many former tenants are still owed significant sums.
• Cosmetic Fixes Only: Rather than addressing serious issues, the landlord often performs quick, superficial fixes to shift the blame on the tenants for any remaining problems. These "fixes" are often unsafe and do not solve the core issues, like gas leaks or infestations.
• No Legal Lease: Many tenants report that there is no proper legal lease provided, leaving them vulnerable and without proper tenant protections. This is especially risky for foreign students, low income graduate students, and postdocs who may be unaware of their rights.

Critical Resources and Steps to Protect Yourself:

• Livable City Initiative (LCI): Be aware of the LCI, and if your landlord refuses to make proper repairs and resorts to cosmetic fixes, file an inspection with LCI before withholding rent. This will protect you legally and document the issues officially.
• Research Landlords: Look up property violations and check if they are still active for the properties. It’s important to be informed about past and ongoing violations for any apartment you’re considering renting.
• Check Civil Court Records: Research civil court cases involving the landlord to see if they’ve been involved in disputes or have a history of neglecting tenant rights.
• Slumlord Warnings: This particular landlord has been written about online. Please do your research and don’t rely solely on what the listings say.

Images of Misleading Craigslist Listings and Property Conditions, along with deed and land records:

False Advertisement of "Safe Housing"

This Craigslist listing falsely claims that the apartment is in a safe and livable condition, close to Yale Medical School. In reality, the building has ongoing gas leaks, broken locks, and dangerous maintenance practices. The washer and dryer mentioned in the listing are non-functional, often clogged with sewage, leading to ruined clothes and lost money. Despite claims of a "nice kitchen," there are mushrooms growing out of the sink and rats due to broken refrigerators, which the landlord sources from the streets. The apartment is infested, and the kitchen is anything but nice.

https://preview.redd.it/wmy2yj2gguqd1.png?width=1642&format=png&auto=webp&s=45470385c7019be4f754130b21e1fe972be7409d

48 Vernon St. Property Exterior - Deceptive Condition

This image from an article shows the exterior of 48 Vernon St. The property is presented as a viable rental option, but tenants have suffered from dangerous living conditions, unresolved repairs, and frequent health hazards, including mold and gas leaks.

https://preview.redd.it/kfibh6q5huqd1.png?width=2119&format=png&auto=webp&s=d36ea0bca0960947e3f9e69412016642de2c0a9b

Image 4: Landlord Caught Supervising Unsafe Conditions

https://preview.redd.it/v1n2lsk7huqd1.png?width=1656&format=png&auto=webp&s=67d6ce61d6e6e49d238aa33ab08b78ca2cd0224b

An article screenshot showing the landlord caught supervising while tenants live in uninhabitable conditions. The property has had gas running on broken pipes for years, posing extreme danger to tenants. This news story documents how one of the landlord’s properties was condemned due to dangerous conditions, forcing tenants to be displaced. Similar risks exist at other properties he manages, including unsanitary living conditions like rat infestations.

List of Violations Issued by Livable City Initiative (LCI)

https://preview.redd.it/yvr3xenehuqd1.png?width=1226&format=png&auto=webp&s=c1d4deff769e196304b5e83af066aef02872f990

https://preview.redd.it/av7n3vtfhuqd1.png?width=1204&format=png&auto=webp&s=888cfc9fe15c835cf402a9d0fa13c1c56055fff2

https://preview.redd.it/xgyfp3ihhuqd1.png?width=1216&format=png&auto=webp&s=c16eb62b432d90d07f2358ed77ac0bf821d8c07e

https://preview.redd.it/e3qy4opihuqd1.png?width=1526&format=png&auto=webp&s=4607aeb68d376103431044d5cf4aea54e66a3d8e

Official LCI document listing the many violations found in the landlord’s properties. These violations include gas leaks, mold, and unsafe structural conditions. Many of these violations remain unresolved, putting tenants at ongoing risk.

Another page from the LCI report detailing violations across several properties managed by Meiqiang Xie. These violations have led to dangerous and unlivable conditions for the tenants who reside there.

https://preview.redd.it/ozva6lojhuqd1.png?width=2122&format=png&auto=webp&s=1ac230c1999bb1b9c8f66b54b0cc0cddb888a18d

https://preview.redd.it/v2roa2alhuqd1.png?width=1224&format=png&auto=webp&s=f4788258ef3f736e428f16dd9c90e6d72f3210e9

https://preview.redd.it/wp02qcylhuqd1.png?width=1207&format=png&auto=webp&s=83911e58eb895df2122b82b9ed7086dc2a08fe24

https://preview.redd.it/tds4uhyohuqd1.png?width=1102&format=png&auto=webp&s=50f1e85f80bcbfd02a63670e10fdbde5a9ae051e

https://preview.redd.it/si9frzsqhuqd1.png?width=1224&format=png&auto=webp&s=26acf6b69e70406af2a639f42a2eb59153d19474

https://preview.redd.it/2wynhbexhuqd1.png?width=1650&format=png&auto=webp&s=f27e885f32f46e944674372eca727badbbae96bc

https://preview.redd.it/smqfj6zyhuqd1.png?width=1648&format=png&auto=webp&s=7d555f54a59d57de6ab07297efa489b24875cafc

https://preview.redd.it/2014h3f2iuqd1.png?width=1740&format=png&auto=webp&s=cc5133def7f090044fdca3f225b4178f225a1cca

Have been scoping this place out for awhile to try it, what are the thoughts? Is it good? Worth the price? How is staff ect

I’m trying to plan a morning through afternoon date. I’d love ideas for unique, fun interesting, activities to do in or around New Haven area. The two must do are walking along the water, which I was thinking of long wharf, nature preserve(would love ideas on where to park) and having New Haven pizza. The person I’ll be with loves shrimp scampi so would love ideas for good restaurants that might have that.

Would love to be able to park at one place and get to everything if possible.

Other ideas include: Yale art gallery or library Pizza slice at Modern or Bar

I'm looking for somewhere in new haven to get scrapped non functioning dirt bikes/motorcycles. Have a project I want to do, and there don't seem to be any scrapyard in new haven

Has anyone bought flowers from there? Is it still open?

Looking for a dentist in New Haven, anyone have one they’d recommend?

Hey y’all! I just got a job offer in New Haven, and I wanted to ask several questions about recommendations regarding making friends, finding housing, and getting to explore New Haven. I’m visiting this Friday, and have a few spare hours in the city. What should I check out while I’m here? Do y’all have any recommendations for realtors or apartment hunting websites? As I’m from out of state (Texas), and I don’t know anyone from CT, I’m looking to be social and make friends as soon as I move here. What clubs/activities should I join to make them?

Any non-chain like gyms in the area (Edge, Planet)? Willing to drive approx 15-20 mins but obviously closer to NH the better. I don't like it to be super crowded (surprise surprise), but mostly because a quieter gym motivates me to step out of my comfort zone.

Feel free to list any additives the suggested gym has. Ive done some research on my own but as a non-gym goer, idk what I am really looking for.

I just moved here and this has been driving me crazy. I am trying to walk from Whitney Avenue to the East Rock Park parking lot/entrance on Davis Street (so, coming from the Whitney Avenue Park).

I cannot for the life of me find a way to walk there without having to be basically in the middle of the road due to the lack of sidewalks. I've tried walking around the surrounding neighborhood, but it seems like there is always a significant stretch in the road without any sidewalk. I see people walking over there all the time and just feel like there has to be a better way.

What's everyone's favorite place within a 30 minute drive to look at the changing color of the trees?

Any fall favorites activities in the area? Date ideas welcome.

Is anyone missing a cat around Chapel and Crown? I saw an orange baby there around 8:25PM looking scared/confused. Disappeared before I could get close.

I'm looking to take my dog camping and to enjoy some early fall weather. She's a little anxious, so I'm looking for something peaceful and quiet. Within an hour and change would be amazing. Any thoughts? I really appreciate suggestions.

What's your experience been like? Weighing my options for holiday travel--either out of Boston or New York.

Thanks!

Announcing our annual record fair at Counter Weight Brewing Co. for 2024!

1000s of records from our favorite music dealers that we’ve hand picked from the North East!

Happening at one of our favorite places in CT, Counter Weight Brewing Co. in Cheshire, CT.

FREE ADMISSION

FOOD TRUCKS, BEER & DJs

OCTOBER 13th 11AM-5PM

Counter Weight Brewing Co.
7 Diana Court, Cheshire, CT 06410

https://www.facebook.com/events/866757845350746

Does anybody have clue why there is loud music noise on the High Street these days?