NEW HAVEN, Conn. — The city of New Haven plans in place to help its homeless population combat the COVID-19 outbreak. Those plans require using Hill Regional Career High School as an isolation shelter for homeless individuals who test positive. The location choice had some board of education members asking whether or not the facility is safe for the community.
"It’s about using a school that’s not set up for this kind of activity," said Darnell Goldson.
Goldson who represents District II on the New Haven Board of Education feels using Hill Regional Career High School for a shelter could put students at risk. He believes not enough is known about the spread of COVID-19 to use the facility as an isolation shelter for homeless individuals who test positive.
"It goes right into the ventilation system," said Goldson. "Teachers and students still have their personal items in the school. I just don’t know enough about it."
City officials announced the use of the school as a part of their emergency response to limiting the spread of the outbreak. The high school could house upwards of 70 beds for homeless individuals in need of treatment. Mayor Justin Elicker says they wouldn’t do anything that could put the community in harm’s way.
"What this proposal does is increases the safety to the city by making sure that homeless individuals who do not have a place of self-isolate have the ability to self-isolate," said Mayor Elicker.
In 2005, Hill Regional Career High School was chosen as one of five locations in the region to be used as an emergency shelter. All five locations are schools. Director of Emergency Operations, Rick Fontana says Hill was chosen for its location to major roads and hospitals and its size to promote social distancing.
"It was timing, it was need and the last thing we want to do is create the spread of this virus any further onto our homeless population," said Fontana.
Goldson suggested the use of a vacant facility on Ella Grasso Boulevard he feels has better infrastructure to support the cause.
"It’s near homeless shelters. They have social services already set up over there. I think it is a lot more secure," said Goldson
The Board of Education voted in favor of moving forward with using Hill high school four to three. The city says professionals will efficiently and thoroughly clean the school up to CDC standards once they have completed their use of it.
"When this operation is completed, that school will be cleaner than it was in a long time," said Fontana.
Hill Regional Career High School remains empty of volunteers as the city continues to work to staff the shelter with medical professionals and security. They are also working to find alternate locations for homeless individuals to self-isolate to avoid catching the virus.