Whose (Quality Of) Life Is It, Anyway?

I'm sure you've been exposed to the media reports. Folks living out near Tweed-New Haven Regional Airport decrying the "deplorable" conditions they must face: "The noise, the fumes, the fuel-stained roofs, the traffic." How they've "lost the use" of their homes. How the airport has impacted their "quality of life." (And what's the quality of your life where you are?)

Nearly 60 years ago, this would have been shocking. Yet, for three generations now, people continue to buy or build properties in the Morris Cove and East Haven, their singsong being, "I knew the airport was there. It's just that I expected small planes to be using it." That's kind of like saying, "When I bought my house in the 'bad' part of town, I knew there was crime, but I expected it to be littering and graffiti."

So, why move out there?

What is it the East Shore has, Tweed notwithstanding, that continues to draw new "victims" year after year?

I started delving into a few real estate websites such as Neighborhood Scout, Upgraded Home, and Area Vibes to see how the Tweed neighborhood compares with other parts of New Haven. The answers shouldn't surprise you.

Let's start with the east end of the Hill neighborhood.

Neighborhood Scout lists the median income at $28,470.

36.4% are employed in manufacturing and labor.

28.1% are employed in clerical/assistant/tech support.

21.4% are in sales and service.

13.6% are in executive/management/professional.

Median home price is $121,428.

Many houses built before 1939.

32.4% of its children live below the Federal poverty line.

16.2% walk to work. 8.3% take the bus.

Now let's look at the north end of the Hill.

Median income is $28,470, same as the east end.

27.5% are employed in manufacturing and labor.

39.8% are in sales and service.

8.8% are in clerical/assistant/tech support.

23.9% are in executive/management/professional positions.

24.5% of its households are headed by single mothers.

Median home price is $266,336.

49.1% of the children live below the Federal poverty line.

27.5% of the households don't own a car.

18.6% walk to work. 27.5% don't own a car.

52.1% drive alone to work.

On to Dixwell, which fared somewhat better.

Median income is listed at $38,678.

Data on the different employment sectors was unavailable.

Median home price listed as $318,468.

Many houses built before 1939.

47.8% of the children live below the Federal poverty line.

3.7% bike to work. 42.8% drive alone to work.

Now, let's look at the East Shore.

Median income listed at $65,951.

10.8% work in manufacturing and labor.

18.4% work in sales and service.

54% work in executive/management/professional jobs.

Median home price is $334,550.

No children living below the Federal poverty line.

And an astounding 76% drive alone to work. (And this is a bunch that opposes Tweed on the grounds of "pollution" and "traffic.")

Neighborhood Scout even zeroed in on the area immediately around Tweed.

Same median income, $65,951.

14.4% in manufacturing and labor.

27.3% in sales and service.

28.7% in clerical/assistant/tech support.

29% in executive/management/professional.

Median home price listed at $398,169.

Many homes built between 1940 and 1969.

83.8% drive to work alone. This despite available bus service.

And, just for good measure, here's the Momauguin section of East Haven.

Median income of $83,489.

29.5% in manufacturing and labor.

11.6% in sales and service.

21% are in clerical/assistant/tech support.

38% are in executive/management/professional positions.

Median home price of $456,293.

85.3% drive alone to work. (Remember, they see an improved airport bringing "traffic and pollution.")

As Tweed's neighbors are also concerned about "safety," let's take a look at how that comes into play.

New Haven's Dwight neighborhood:

Violent crime: 775 per 100,000 people

Property crime: 4,416 per 100,000 people.

Newhallville:

Violent crime: 775 per 100,000 people.

Property crime: 4332 per 100,000 people.

The Hill:

Violent crime: 745 per 100,000 people.

Property crime: 4,161 per 100,000 people.

Dixwell:

Violent crime: 717 per 100,000 people.

Property crime: 4,007 per 100,000 people.

Fair Haven:

Violent crime: 635 per 100,000 people.

Property crime: 3,545 per 100,000 people.

East Shore:

Violent crime: 319 per 100,000 people.

Property crime: 1,784 per 100,000 people.

East Haven:

Violent crime: 48 per 100,000 people.

Property crime: 721 per 100,000 people.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "You didn't include Westville, East Rock or the Edgewood neighborhoods." No, I didn't. They're just fine and they know it.

It's just that the people who moved out near Tweed chose to do so, knowing the airport was there, on the decision that the pluses more than outweighed the minuses, as the above figures show.

(Interestingly enough, I followed Justin Elicker's tweets during his 2019 mayoral campaign and his campaign stops in the Morris Cove had not one mention of Tweed as an issue. Not one. A couple of times he tweeted about residents' complaints of "kids on dirt bikes" tooling around the neighborhood, but never Tweed. This leads me to one of two possible conclusions:

A. That local residents weren't concerned that much about Tweed, which I doubt, or,

B. That Team Elicker's staff edited his tweets, omitting Tweed, which seems more likely. In either case, if anyone from the Cove read those tweets, no one complained.)

And, seeing how misery loves company, local anti-airport groups such as the 10,000 Hawks and Keep Tweed Small have tried playing their shtick outside of the East Shore with their message to core city residents that "those planes fly over your neighborhood, too."

Let me ask you something. What's your bigger concern? A passenger plane flying 1,000 feet above you for ten seconds, or the shadowy figure fifty feet behind you as you walk home? Traffic carrying paying customers to Tweed, or traffic bringing drug dealers to sell their wares? The lack of jobs, or a place that can provide not just jobs, but careers? (And you wouldn't even have to drive to work because Connecticut Transit serves Tweed.) Jet engine noise, or gun shots?

How many of you would gladly put up with Tweed's operations, compared to what you're putting up with now?

Bob Dylan once observed that it's hard to be a bitter millionaire. Seems to me that Tweed's neighbors have shown that it's quite easy to be a bitter member of the middle class.