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Beth-El Center reports sharp rise in regional homelessness, outlines new shelter and supportive-housing plans
Summary
Jennifer Paradis of the Beth-El Center told the board that homelessness in Connecticut has risen 44% since 2021 and unsheltered homelessness in greater New Haven climbed dramatically; she described emergency shelter expansions, a community kitchen with increasing meal counts, and a proposed new facility that adds non-congregate shelter and 15 permanent supportive housing units.
Jennifer Paradis, executive director of the Beth-El Center, told the Board of Aldermen that homelessness across Connecticut and in the greater New Haven region has increased significantly, and that Milford is experiencing those effects.
Paradis said statewide homelessness has risen about 44% since 2021 and that unsheltered homelessness in greater New Haven grew about 45% from 2024 to 2025; she said a recent local point-in-time count surveyed more than 100 people overnight in sub-freezing temperatures, including people in encampments, vehicles and emergency shelter.
The center reported serving an average of nearly 60 guests per night in a temporary overnight shelter and operating a community kitchen that served about 55,000 meals in 2025 (a 117% increase since 2019). "We served 350 unique individuals this season with nearly 60 people on average seeking refuge per night," Paradis said.
To expand local capacity, the Beth-El Center said it is advancing a new facility project that will provide 24-hour community-facing services (showers, laundry and case management), non-congregate shelter models and a growth in permanent supportive housing from five units to 15 units on the new site. Paradis said the expansion is intended to improve outcomes for people with long histories of homelessness and complex health needs and to reduce return-to-homelessness rates.
Why it matters: Paradis and staff argued that rising homelessness is driven primarily by housing affordability, low vacancy rates and insufficient deeply affordable housing for people with very low incomes. She urged local leaders to prioritize prevention tools, flexible emergency shelter capacity and deeply affordable housing solutions.
What27s next: The Beth-El Center said it is working with the state Department of Housing on the project; Paradis said construction groundwork is expected in the coming months, and the project was adjusted to add additional supportive-housing units after design discussions with the state.
Sources: Jennifer Paradis, Beth-El Center testimony and materials, Board of Aldermen budget hearing, April 22, 2026.
