New Haven Landlord Charged for Dozens of Housing Violations

Authorities revoke residential rental licenses for all 21 of Jianchao Xu's properties.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 12:07am

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An extreme close-up photograph of a damaged smoke detector, lit by a harsh, direct camera flash against a pitch-black background, conceptually illustrating the hazardous conditions found in some rental properties.A recent wave of fires at negligently-maintained rental properties has exposed the urgent need for stronger housing code enforcement in New Haven.New Haven Today

A local landlord in New Haven, Connecticut has been criminally charged with violating the state building code after city inspectors identified more than 50 housing code violations at several of his rental properties in just one week. Mayor Justin Elicker said the city has revoked the residential rental licenses from all 21 of Jianchao Xu's properties and given him 30 days to remedy the violations, or he'll face fines of up to $2,000 per day for each property.

Why it matters

The action comes after at least 18 fires have broken out at Xu-owned properties in recent years, including a 2024 blaze that killed a resident and displaced 10 others. The case highlights ongoing issues with negligent landlords and the need for stronger enforcement of housing codes to protect public safety.

The details

Jianchao Xu, of Bethany, is scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday morning in New Haven Housing Court on the misdemeanor charge of violating the state building code. City officials said Xu has a history of missing required inspections and facing fines, and that the latest violations were identified in just one week of inspections across several of his properties.

  • In 2024, Xu was fined $18,200 for missing city inspections.
  • On March 1, 2026, Xu was charged and released from custody on a promise to appear in court.
  • Xu has 30 days to remedy the violations before facing fines of up to $2,000 per day for each property.

The players

Jianchao Xu

A local landlord in New Haven, Connecticut who has been criminally charged with violating the state building code after city inspectors identified more than 50 housing code violations at several of his rental properties.

Justin Elicker

The mayor of New Haven, Connecticut who announced the criminal charges and rental license revocations against Xu.

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What they’re saying

“We must hold negligent landlords accountable to protect the safety of our residents.”

— Justin Elicker, Mayor of New Haven

What’s next

Xu is scheduled to be arraigned on the misdemeanor charge in New Haven Housing Court on Tuesday morning.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing challenges cities face with holding negligent landlords responsible for maintaining safe and habitable rental properties. It underscores the need for stronger enforcement of housing codes and proactive inspections to protect vulnerable tenants from unsafe living conditions.