An advocacy group in Bridgeport, Connecticut says hundreds of families in public housing are at risk of eviction.
Dione Dwyer lives in P. T. Barnum Apartments, the city’s largest public housing complex. She’s part of a group that advocates for residents.
“They feel exactly how anybody would feel," she said. "A little mistrusted. A little shocked, a little worried. Anybody that was late is wondering if they're on the list to be evicted. I myself could be on that list.”
Dwyer blamed decades of mismanagement for leaving residents without options to avoid the risk of eviction.
Jillian Baldwin is with Park City Communities, which runs the city’s public housing. She said reports aren’t true that the agency has announced hundreds of evictions. But she said they could happen without state and local assistance.
“What we communicated to our city officials is that we had 502 families who had rental arrearages on the books," Baldwin said. "And if we didn't come up with a solid plan, they could be facing eviction in the coming months. So this was a housing authority, advocating on behalf of our residents, being proactive.”
Baldwin adds the agency is working hard to remove a distinction from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development that lists Bridgeport’s public housing as "troubled."
