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Resident raises safety concerns about Jackson Street encampment near Wesleyan dorms
Summary
Leda Diaz told the council an influx of unhoused people and at least one long-term vehicle near Jackson Street has created safety concerns for children at a nearby bus stop and students in Wesleyan dorms; she said she had contacted health and police authorities and cited a 2023 two-alarm fire at an abandoned property as precedent.
Leda Diaz, a Jackson Street resident, reported an increase in unhoused individuals camping in the woods behind Wesleyan University dorms and in vehicles parked on or near Jackson Street. She said the wooded encampment sits close to a school bus stop and the Root Center for Advanced Recovery, and that some vehicles have remained for “over a month and 0.5.” Diaz said she notified the Department of Health, Wesleyan University security and Middletown Police, but expressed frustration that the issue appears unresolved and poses safety risks for nearby children and students.
Diaz cited a 2023 abandoned-property fire at 51 Jackson Street that became a two-alarm incident, and asked the council and city staff whether there was anything they could do to assist residents. The chair requested her phone number so the clerk and staff could follow up.
