“People are really devastated. They really haven’t gotten out of just the shock.”
Billy Bromage is one of the advocates in the New Haven unhoused community, reacting to the death of Keith Petrulis, who was found outside of the Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen on Monday.
A memorial now stands for him at the place known as DESK, where those who are homeless gather for resources, food and community.
“He was just a very warm person, he was funny, he was very present when you were with him,” Bromage said. As a housed ally of the unhoused population, Bromage said he came to know Petrulis through U-ACT, the Unhoused Activists’ Community Team.
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The group was vocal during the closing of tent city in New Haven in March. Bromage says Petrulis’ voice on the lived experience of homelessness is valuable in the advocacy work to eliminate it.
“I feel like I lost someone that I fought alongside, but I also feel like I lost a friend, someone that I really care about,” Bromage said.
In a statement, Steve Werlin, the executive director of DESK, called Petrulis an incredible leader and true asset to New Haven just days before his death. He shared this statement following the news on Monday.
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“As our clients, staff, and community begin the grieving process, i know that there will be much more to say in the coming weeks and months about this tragedy, the extent to which it was avoidable, and what meaning we can find in his story. Keith will continue to inspire us all, and me personally. May his memory be a blessing.”
Mayor Justin Elicker said Petrulis was someone that would hold leaders accountable.
“My experience with Keith is that he was someone who was passionate, deeply cares about what he’s advocating for, but also did so in a really thoughtful and human way,” Elicker said.
The same day that Petrulis died, the city presented a plan to the Board of Alders to convert the Days Inn Motel on Foxon Boulevard into a shelter space, with 112 beds in 56 rooms.
“And so that pretty significantly helps us out with the people who are experiencing homelessness,” Elicker said. “It doesn’t cover everyone, but it’s a big, big expansion on the beds that we can offer.”
It would be different from congregant shelters where men and women are separated, and pets typically aren’t allowed. It would also allow people to keep their belongings with them.
But even with added privacy, Bromage says there’s still some concern about freedom.
“With shelters, there’s length of stay issues. There’s also certain types of restrictions on people staying there that make it where it doesn’t necessarily feel like a home for people. It doesn’t feel like they have full autonomy and choices,” Bromage said.
The details would be ironed out in an RFP process for a group to manage the site.
“We want someone that is solid, that is going to maintain the hotel well, that is going to provide a lot of different services for people that are most vulnerable in our community,” Elicker said. “Both because we want the individuals staying there to be successful, but also we don’t want an unnecessary impact on the surrounding area.”
There are several steps in the approval process by the Board of Alders. Elicker says it could be open and running by the winter.
