@CT1417 First year move in on old campus is very intense, with most arriving in a three or four hour window. Move out is much more mellow, with departures spread out over several days, with kids leaving as they finish finals and papers. Best recommendation would be to make sure you bring a folding hand truck, then shouldn’t have much trouble finding a metered spot somewhere between Phelps gate on college, Chapel Street or High Street gate below the gate. Not bad at all when you can just make multiple trips with a hand truck. One other recommendation would be: don’t bring a bunch of items downstairs and leave them unattended while going for more. Kids throw out an amazing amount of futons, flat screen tv’s, lamps, microwaves, fans, etc., and that leads to an unfortunate presumption that anything left unattended even momentarily (and that includes that nice folding hand truck you brought along) is abandoned.
Thanks @tdy123 – I am trying to visualize how a hand truck will be of use with the stairs in Vanderbilt? Leave one person outside with the hand truck while the other person runs upstairs to carry more down, thereby cutting down on the # of trips to the car?
My son had mentioned that one of the entrances was closed for construction. Crossing my fingers that I can find a metered spot. Thanks for your advice.
Nervous Mama here. We were at Bulldog Days all three days last week. During those three days, there was a VERY heavy presence of homeless people and panhandlers surrounding the areas near campus and, at least on one occasion, inside Old Campus. While I have lived in cities most of my life up to marriage, my son has lived in the relative peace of northern New England all his life. Granted, drug use is noticeable in our downtown area and seeing people OD (which we did on our first day right out on the New Haven Green by the bus stop,) isn’t something new to him, sadly. But the idea that there is such rampant homelessness around campus had NOT been the case when we visited two years ago, and now I’m worried. Add to that the robbery incident that happened the night before Bulldog Days (which I recognize had not happened in over 15 years). Administrators during BD did not address well enough, to my comfort, how well they secure the campus itself as it seems almost entirely open for people to walk right in (even the residential colleges on some occasions). I know outside of campus, and even INSIDE, students need to be vigilant. It is a city campus. But any words of comfort as to how safe your students have felt in their time at Yale? Should I be worried? It was SO different from when we visited two summers ago 
@moosiechica88
TD mom here. I was also alarmed at the recent robbery at my son’s RC but from what I could gather the students robbed had left their door propped open (never a good move). I think RC head of school needs to remind the students not to leave gates open andto be aware of their surrounding. Common sense precautions go a long way.
Yes there are some homeless on the green but I’ve never felt threatened or not safe walking No around campus.
I went to school in SantaCruz and was almost mugged there. It can happen anywhere. I think it’s awareness level all young people either have if they’ve grown up in a big city or come to have. A different kind of education but an important one nonetheless.
My son feels very safe fwiw…
My son is a junior and we have been to campus many times. I have never felt unsafe. It is a city school and I do notice a few homeless people that hang out near the book store or the coffee shop. But they don’t seem dangerous. And most campus buildings are locked and certainly the residential colleges are behind locked gates. And within the gates you still need a keycard to get in. I think the kids get complacent and feel so safe that they start leaving doors propped open. That’s not a great idea. But I think if the kids use common sense and don’t walk around alone late at night they are fine. But everyone has their own comfort level. I went to a city school and did sometimes feel nervous. New Haven seems much cleaner and safer than my school. We love Yale!
Anecdote is not the plural of data, but one experience I had a few months ago…
I have a Tesla with automatic door openers (a mixed blessing). We came back downstairs from DS’s apartment and a “homeless person*” told me that my car door was open, and that he had closed it. No contents were disturbed. Full disclosure: his GF’s apartment was burgled (but that was in the “nicer” part of town).
DS has lived in an apartment across the street from the Green for the past two years. The only time he has felt unsafe was immediately after the most recent Presidential election. Theories abound as to why the election riled everyone up.
- I don't in fact know if this person was homeless, but he might well have been described that way by someone with limited knowledge of urban life.
We have gone on a number of visits for the kids’ college tours and as an alum, including most recently moving in S and attending The Game this past fall. We have always felt safe and S will even take the long walk to the train station. Compared to when I attended, the areas around campus are a lot nicer. It is an urban school, so you do have to use some common sense, like not walking through the Green alone at night wearing expensive preppy clothes.
Recently, the Yale administration stated that campus crimes at Yale are the second-lowest in the Ivy-Plus group of ten schools, based on government statistics. As you’d expect in any city, there are some homeless people and there’s occasional property crime, but overall the campus and environs are quite safe.
Although the reputation hasn’t yet caught up with the reality, New Haven has been transformed over the past two decades, the city is vibrant and town-gown relations have become close and collaborative. The indispensable person who made this happen was Bruce Alexander, a 1965 Yale College graduate and successful mall developer who became Yale’s VP for New Haven and state affairs and campus development in 1998. The university has just announced that he’s retiring; you can read about all the wonderful things he’s accomplished here: https://news.yale.edu/2018/05/03/vice-president-bruce-alexander-retire-june?page=1 .
I’ve heard that. 
@BKSquared and @DeepBlue86 I totally agree. As an alum and mom of a graduating senior, I have seen many improvements to New Haven in the last 36 years. I little common sense goes a long way and it is a little presumptuous to broad brush homeless people as dangerous. And with people dying all over the country, especially “nice” towns in middle America from the “opioid” crisis, how can that make New Haven an unsafe place? I am sure there are deaths happening in the nicer parts of New England too.
@moosiechica88
Congratulations and Welcome! My DD is finishing up her sophomore year and will be staying in New Haven most of this summer for internships. She lived in Old Campus last year and transferred to the new residential colleges this year. She’s a student-athlete and somehow she finds time to be involved in her sorority events, team events, cultural houses events, be a big sibling to incoming freshman and work! The point is…with the exception of the softball fields, she walks EVERYWHERE including off campus on a daily basis (day and night including middle of the night —alone at times) and I’m yet to hear her mention feeling “unsafe”. Now, she’s not walking around like an oblivious idiot. She’s well aware of her surroundings, doesn’t wear headphones and is not on her phone texting or distracted in any way when she’s getting from point A to point B, but I’d agree with everyone that’s commented on here the importance of using common sense. Hope this helps you feel less nervous! I know it can be nerve-racking when our kids move out for the first time. I was hypersensitive about everything and it caused some anxiety and some “helicopter-mom” tendencies, but after the first term and after seeing how flawlessly my DD transitioned to her new living environment, I felt great! We absolutely love Yale! I can’t think of a better place for my DD to be right about now! I am sure your kid will be just fine! Enjoy the next four years! Boola Boola!
Thanks for all the advice and reality checks. I know it’s safer than many other urban campuses, and I trust all your judgement and knowledge as you have the experience of the campus day in and day out.
It was just shocking because there were many, and I mean MANY, people sleeping/passed out on the benches on the green or on the bus stop benches. It was surprising for me because we had certainly not noticed this beforehand. Then we were accosted by a man inside Subway - the owner tried in vain to get the man to leave, but he just wouldn’t leave until we gave him money. I’m not sure anything can be done about that, but it was unsettling to be sure. And again, we encountered one or two (I only saw one, hubby saw another one without me) people begging for money inside Old Campus. I was just surprised to see it so rampant this time, when our first visit there seemed much different.
It’s good to hear that so much has been done by Yale as well as the city to revamp it. I loved walking around the restaurants and shopping areas on the other side of campus and there were many walks around the outskirts that felt perfectly safe. I think it was mostly the Green that felt really sketchy.
@Tperry1982 I actually mentioned that we have ODs in our sleepy New England city often and have even witnessed a few on our travels to our downtown. It was just shocking to have it happen literally right there as we drove into campus, just one block away from Old Campus. So even though we are sadly “used” to seeing the sight, it was unnerving to have it right there in our faces as our “Welcome to Yale.”
@SoftballFan We are going to drill our son with the realities of city life - after living in this relatively idyllic area for all his life, he simply needs to be more aware of his surroundings, etc. He’s very trusting and while staying on campus for BD, the kids he was rooming with had both their inside door and their fire escape door taped open so they would not lock - he didn’t see a thing wrong with that even though they had JUST been told about the break-in at TD and why it happened. YIKES! We may have our work cut out for us!
It’s not just your kid. Many or even most doors were taped open when we were there from 2013 - 2017. It does not seem to be enforced. My D was very comfortable and felt safe on and around campus during her four years there.
Info for new parents - the first years will probably get their residential college assignments next month. My son got his on June 22, 2016, along with his room assignment and list of suitemates.
Homeless near campus in New Haven? Shocked!
Actually considering the size and location of the city I’d expect to see more homeless. Compared to some cities of the same size it’s does much better.
The kids are actually familiar with some of the homeless that are sometimes near the book store and coffee shop- it tends to be the same 2 or 3 people. I know they have on occasion given them leftover treats from events. Or maybe that is just my kid and her friends. There are a few on the green but the police closely monitor that area as well. The reality is that it is a city. My daughter said that there has been a big increase in security since the break in. Yale is a very visible entity in that town. I can’t imagine that there is not a great deal being done behind the scenes to shore up any cracks in the bubble.
Looking forward to my son’s graduation this week I noticed my husband bought brunch tickets for first seating when we’re going to be at Baccalaureate. I emailed them and very easy changing them to second seating! Thank you Michelle
.
So the job moved to Chicago! lol
@Saona63 - Quick question - How did you husband purchase tickets? I am trying to purchase tickets for the lunch at Berkeley on May 21st and I haven’t been able to get through. Is there an online option?