City has partner for Greene Homes redevelopment, but progress is slow
Tenants: Problems persist in public housing complex
BRIDGEPORT — Alice King recalled an exchange she recently overheard at the Charles F. Greene Homes low- income public housing development where she has lived for a quarter century.
“I hear a conversation about whose territory this was to sell drugs out here. They were ‘ beefing’ about whose it was,” King, a resident leader, said. “These guys don’t even live here. They come here and make it hard for us. ... That’s why we’re suffering. These guys are out there, taking away our homes.”
Her last declaration about losing their homes was no exaggeration. Two- and- a- half years ago, in response to the continued crime, violence, gang activity and overall poor living conditions at “The Greenes,” the city abruptly announced it would seek federal approval to vacate, tear down and rebuild the five building, 270- unit complex on Highland Avenue.
That was in late November 2018. On the surface, little has changed since. For example, twice last month — on June 6 and June 25 — police reported shootings there.
But Park City Communities — Bridgeport's public housing authority which manages the development — has behindthe- scenes made slow but steady progress in its efforts to replace the site.
Most recently the authority board selected a private codeveloper, Trinity Financial, for the project. And Park City Executive Director Jillian Baldwin, hired a year ago, was optimistic about soon receiving authorization from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to move forward.
“We probably have 15 percent more to go on that demolition application,” Baldwin said this week. “We’ve been
Charles F. Greene Homes residents Naomi Rivera, left, and Yomayra Sosa watch through a barred window as city officials discuss plans for the housing complex in Bridgeport on July 11, 2019.
holding a bit, waiting to get Trinity to the table.”
Violence and aging infrastructure
HUD in a statement said it was “pleased” with New York City- based Trinity’s involvement and awaiting resubmitted paperwork from Park City Communities addressing HUD- recommended changes “that would make it ( demolition of Greene Homes) approvable.”
For King the future cannot come soon enough. She said she has lost faith that the authority can turn things around.
‘ It’s not always been bad,” King said. “( But) I would love to leave.”
Baldwin and her staff are keenly aware of the violence issues. The authority’s executive offices are adjacent to Greene Homes, and as a result of the recent incidents, staff movements were temporarily restricted and the health department also canceled on- site coronavirus vaccination clinics.
“In not one of these incidents has it been lease holders,” she emphasized. “These are visitors, family members, someone who has come from out of town.”
Baldwin also said the authority board recently agreed to contribute $ 100,000 to have an added police presence at its various properties.
Meanwhile The Greenes continue to age and Park City Communities has to keep applying Band- Aids to keep the structures habitable. As was the case immediately following 2018’ s proposed teardown, the authority is again performing a maintenance sweep to try and provide tenants hope and encourage them to remain patient.
Baldwin said the authority is using $ 800,000 in direct federal coronavirus relief funds to make improvements at Greene Homes and its other complexes. Contractors are going apartment to apartment to address health and safety issues and also cleaning and repainting The Greenes’ stairwells.
“We’re hoping to reinstitute a sense of pride where people don’t feel like, ‘ Oh my gosh, I live in The Greenes,’” Baldwin said.
Baldwin said this week the authority and Trinity held “our first major kickoff meeting.”
“We’re super excited,” she added. Trinity was chosen from six bidders interested in working with Park City Communities.
A new precedent
Bridgeport a few years ago adopted the public/ private redevelopment model in an ongoing effort to update the authority’s low- income stock into new, mixed- income housing.
The effort began at the site of the former Father Panik Village on the East Side, which was transformed by JHM Group of Stamford into Crescent Crossings. JHM is currently building Windward Commons, which replaces the demolished Marina Village in the South End.
But both Crescent Crossings and Windward Commons took years to accomplish. One of the challenges was finding homes for the temporarily displaced residents. And, according to Baldwin, The Greenes’ 270 units are at 96 percent occupancy, with 260 families.
Baldwin this week could not offer a timeline for the project, noting the authority and Trinity still have to draft a “master redevelopment plan” that would determine details like whether all five buildings are decommissioned or if there is instead “a mixed blend of deconstruction and rehabilitation.”
While Baldwin said the authority has worked hard to keep tenants informed, King disagreed, arguing “there’s no concrete information.” She said she is also skeptical about the ability to relocate so many tenants.
Baldwin said one reason Trinity was chosen was for the firm’s experience “working with resident communities and making sure their voice is well represented at the table.”
King will believe it when she sees it, especially after two- and- a- half years.
“The people that live here are in limbo,” King said.