New Haven landlord accused of dozens of alleged housing code violations
A New Haven landlord is facing prosecution after alleged housing code violations and a series of fires at his properties, including one that killed a man.
City officials said Tuesday the landlord has 30 days to fix extensive problems at his buildings or face escalating fines and additional penalties. The action follows an investigation into more than 20 properties linked to at least 18 fires over the past 10 years.
Mayor Justin Elicker said the city is taking the situation seriously because tenant safety is at stake.
“Every tenant deserves an affordable, safe place to live. Period,” Elicker said.
Officials said the properties are owned by Jianchao Xu, who also goes by Doctor Xu. Authorities linked his buildings to multiple fires, including one on Elm Street two years ago in which a man died.
“People have an inherent right to safety, and so do New Haven firefighters. So do your neighbors. So it’s a shocking number of fires,” said Chief Daniel Coughlin, New Haven Fire Department.
Xu and his wife were scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday on charges of violating the state building code, but a judge delayed both cases until next week.
Meanwhile, the city revoked rental licenses for all of Xu’s properties after inspecting them. Officials said inspectors found more than 50 violations in just one week, including sewage leaks, mice infestations, and electrical hazards.
“It’s not just irresponsible. Some of these actions are illegal. Doctor Xu’s negligence and disregard for his tenants and our laws put our residents and their property and their lives at risk. Enough is enough,” Elicker said.
Xu now has 30 days to correct the violations or face fines of up to $2,000 a day. The buildings include roughly 100 dwelling units across New Haven.
City leaders said residents have already endured significant hardship.
“The hard reality is for many of these tenants, even after today, the impact of these fires may not end. They’re still dealing with the consequences of this negligence,” said New Haven Alder Caroline Tanbee Smith.
We reached out to the owner’s attorney, but he was not available for comment.
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