Fraternity brothers ambivalent about LCI offensive

New Haven's Livable City Initiative (LCI) does not want to dispose of Yale's fraternities—at least, that's what the New Haven neighborhood renewal agency says. Last month, Henry Fernandez, LAW '94, the executive director of LCI, met with fraternity officers and the New Haven Police Department. Rather than promising the demise of Yale's frats, Fernandez stated his pledge to ensure the safety of fraternities and their surrounding areas.

FILE PHOTO Should frats prep for battle? Some brothers are indifferent.

Fernandez's efforts to calm fraternity representatives may have worked. In the four weeks since the meeting, with the exception of the officers who attended the meeting, few fraternity members seem aware of LCI or its actions. As one Sigma Nu brother who requested to remain anonymous explained, "I really haven't heard anything about [LCI]. I'm guessing that the officers [of the fraternity] know about it. However, to be completely honest, I don't really think that anybody at Sigma Nu even cares what [LCI] thinks."

The indifference of some fraternity brothers is confusing in light of certain hardball tactics Fernandez has promised to employ. For instance, whereas fraternities have been able to charge admission to parties where beer is available, the police and LCI plan to prevent what the state Liquor Control Commission defines as selling alcohol without a license. They are also currently working to address complaints about frequent noise by the fraternities' neighbors.

In addition to pledging to enforce previously-flaunted zoning laws that apply to fraternities, Fernandez has also said that he will ask city lawmakers to alter existing regulations in order to ensure higher levels of safety and lower levels of noise.

But Fernandez will not take compliance with city and state laws for granted. He wants fraternities to register with the police or Yale and to allow inspection of their houses. This last pledge has stoked the passions of some fraternity leaders. Ben Trachtenberg, ES '01, the chapter editor of Sigma Chi, explained, "Sigma Chi is committed to obeying the law and will continue to do so. We have received no complaints from our neighbors, and we make an effort to be a positive presence on our street."

However, although the fraternity was inspected by LCI and passed the inspection, Trachtenberg does not believe that the fraternity should be inspected more often than properties within New Haven of comparable location, function or size. He said, "We believe in the right of all New Haven residents to remain free from unreasonable searches."

For now, fraternity brothers are taking a wait-and-see approach—but tensions could escalate if Fernandez moves forward on his promises. Fernandez and the New Haven Police Department did not reply to calls.

David S. Wertime contributed to this article.

Back to News...