Is there anything that can be done about this?

I would call IRIS.

From what I understand, IRIS is well aware of this issue. LCI came to the property a few weeks ago and had a discussion with the landlord. Nothing has been done yet. I was present when 3 police cruisers responded to this event on 9/26/11 at about 5:30 PM. I want to commend all of the officers present - they were calm yet very respectful and attentive to everyone involved. I spoke at length to Officer Charles Gargano, who was very sympathetic and patient. Officer Gargano also offered his support if the residents of Nash St. want to create a block-watch effort. The commanding officer, who's name I didn't get, was amazing as he tried to calm the people involved in the altercation and explain to them what was happening and why.

This whole situation is really unfortunate. From what I've been told, there are 2 houses on Nash St. that house families and/or individuals placed by IRIS. The people are from different countries and/or regions of Africa, and are feuding over cultural differences. I know IRIS is trying to help by placing these folks in apartments, but something is not working. How much education is offered to help them assimilate into American society? I think it is irresponsible and unfair to the IRIS participants AND the residents of the neighborhoods to place people, inadequately prepared, into a situation where they are likely to get into legal and/or social trouble because they don't understand United States social customs and laws. IRIS needs to perhaps focus more of their resources on socializing their participants one family/person at a time, ensuring a successful transition. I'm sure the IRIS recipients want to be happy, successful and productive in America as much as anybody. I understand IRIS is sorely underfunded for the task they have undertaken (which is beyond admirable). Are there some other government agencies or community groups or churches that can assist them? It might also be helpful if IRIS reached out to the people of the community, introduce all parties to each other, maybe explain to the existing residents of the neighborhoods: who will be moving in, their history, their needs, etc.

I would like to thank "J" for the thoughtful response. This has been a problem for several months and needs to be solved.

I agree that IRIS needs to be much more involved in solving noise problems with its clients. People who have chosen to live in East Rock have probably done so because it's a safe, peaceful neighborhood. If some of IRIS' clients want to make a lot of noise day or night, (e.g., by playing music loudly out of their parked cars, or arguing loudly on the street), then perhaps IRIS should place them in New Haven neighborhoods where that is more the norm.

The IRIS experiment is NOT working in East Rock. In their sales pitch they say that all their clients have extensive background checks. After receiving complaints about some of their clients at 55 Nash Street causing problems, they quickly SOLVED the problem by relocating them about 100 yards down the road to 17 Nash Street. Did they tell the owner of the new property that these tenants passed EXTENSIVE background checks as well?
It is a noble effort to give anyone a fresh start. However after over six months of squandering that "start" of free rent, food, clothes, furniture and medical care by creating frequent police calls, dumping garbage on the street and hanging dirty clothes out of windows and on fences, you just lost your free pass. This program was to help people move up not to bring the neighborhood DOWN.

@NeededtoBeSaid, you are talking about a couple /few families causing problems. IRIS has several families living around the neighborhood, including some on my street who cause NO problems at all. You can't judge an entire program based on a couple of bad examples.

@SB, I never said every IRIS client is causing problems. If I do not have to call the police or to complain about garbage or blight caused by an individual, then they are not the problem or the persons I am addressing. However, "a couple of bad examples" are all that is needed to bring down the ENTIRE neighborhood.

You said that the IRIS experiment isn't working in East Rock, which sounds like knocking the entire program to me. And if a couple of bad examples could bring down the ENTIRE neighborhood, the neighborhood would have been down long before IRIS came and moved in refugee families. There are more than a couple of home grown bad examples in ER. Just see other posts here at SeeClickFix--including the house on lower Lawrence St, which has been a problem for years.

@SB again. I believe my post was to the topic "Noise/fighting at 17 Nash Street", although I would gladly talk about trying to clean up disturbances at the house on lower Lawrence St. as well. If IRIS set the people up at 17 Nash Street, then let them take responsibility and fix the problems it has caused for the neighbors. Preferably, something other than moving them to the opposite end of the block.
I am not against the goal of IRIS. I believe I said earlier "It is a noble effort to give anyone a fresh start".

However, If you feel that the problems discussed in this topic as well as the topics:

"Noisy Neighbors at it Again"

"Once again there were problems at 17 Nash Street"

and

"Contaminating Soil"

are not damaging to the neighborhood and a direct result of IRIS clients, we will have to respectfully agree to disagree; otherwise we will be typing all night.

@Click Fix, please keep this matter open, Although the 11 of the inhabitants of the aprox. 900 SF first floor of 17 Nash Street have been moved into a hotel, the other 4 or 5 (or 6,7,8??) have gone across the street to # 28 Nash, another house owned by the same person who owns #17.

There are a number of issues here, including some that involve the way a certain agency is relating to ER and the way it (mis)represents its values and its standards, not to mention its actual practices..
Some of the most inspiring people who once lived on Nash are now IRIS grads. A number of the beyond unsavory ones are also IRIS grads. Please keep your hearts and minds and your donations open to good refugees and give them the opportunities you would want if you had to flee our country. But after talking to the agency rep and seeing more than I will tell here, yes, there is every reason to be careful before you fully and unconditionally open your door or your pockets .

I'm closing this because of the age of the issue and because LCI reported that they had been following up on the address. If this is still a problem, please report as a new issue and use the category "private property issue."