Often litigious herself, City Councilwoman Maria Pereira faces a lawsuit by the Success Village board receiving a lot of heat for the cold water mess at the private co-op located in Pereira’s district. Pereira urged residents to withhold their monthly $500 common charges as a response to the inaction.
From Brian Lockhart, CT Post:
The board of the Success Village, a private housing cooperative in the Mill Hill neighborhood, is suing City Councilwoman Maria Pereira, claiming she interfered with the coop’s finances.
The late May legal filing by Attorney Darnell Crosland claims Pereira publicly urged tenants of the resident-owned, 900-plus unit complex to withhold the monthly $500 charges they pay to cover utility bills, taxes and maintenance over an ongoing hot water crisis.
“The defendant’s interference is improper, done with malicious intent, misrepresentations and through intimidation,” reads the lawsuit. “The plaintiff has suffered economic harm as a result.”
The board, led by Tyreke Bird, wants a state judge to force Pereira to retract her alleged statements and to apologize and is also seeking damages for lost revenues and business opportunities.
Pereira did not respond Monday to a request for comment and as of Monday online court records do not include a response from her to the complaint. Court records show a state marshal delivered a copy of the lawsuit to her address and left it “in the door jam.” No court appearances or hearings have so far been scheduled.
Full story here
Last night I was present at the City Council Public Speaking session to talk about our neighbors, property owners, and taxpayers organized in a cooperative form of self-governance more than 900 units in Bridgeport. I provide my three minutes of limited comments below.
Isn’t it interesting that the only other speakers at the City Council PUBLIC Session last night were Councilors Periera and Cruz, speaking on different subjects worthy of being heard by all. Is that the only way they can secure a hearing, on the record, about the operations within the City? Time will tell.
Comments to Bridgeport City Council: June 3, 2024
Is it true that no one has an issue with the City and therefore no names are listed to share observations on Bridgeport issues or concerns? Well, you have heard me talk about Boards and Commissions in the City as well as the failure of OPEN, ACCOUNTABLE, TRANSPARENT and HONEST processes and values in evidence, to confront the absence of “best practices” for Bridgeport governance.
As a prime example, CTPost reported lengthy meetings last week for more than 30 local, State and Federal officials who are concerned about the threat to “homeowners,” 900 of whose properties are located in Bridgeport. Without water or heat mechanical systems functioning, and climate due to change in the fall, the re-location of 3,000 or more residents fits no legal or statutory obligation today. But when the temperature daily begins decreasing four months from today, the reality of wasted time in hand-wringing and caring moral statements for our neighbors, will be fully upon us.
What to do? Some thoughts for you and others on this subject not covered yet in the media:
• Old mechanicals requiring repairs, or total replacement without guarantees to owners? Why no suggestions of newer heating and hot-water technology, of a design that will save ongoing utility expenses and avoid much maintenance future cost? More affordable and practical?
• Individuals who own and reside in this neighborhood are watching home values plummet even though mortgages may be paid in full while they pay common charges. Why is there no City Office, like the Director of Accountability and Integrity to whom congregate housing locations of more than 10-20 residents can appeal for guidance when their current “management” administrator is ignoring its representation responsibility? Would the existence of a Fair Housing Commission be an answer? Would the filing of an annual report including agendas and minutes from regular meetings and full financial reporting serve to alert public officials in a timely fashion to threats in the future?
• Is the civil right to quality elected representation alive in our City? Do we experience multiple elections in the City with fewer than 20% of residents voting, using their voices? Perhaps these citizens facing dollars of home value lost and failure of hot water would see a reason to vote?
Where is the Charter Review proposal sitting at the moment? Is this another site to find a mechanism for early remedy in the future? Who is telling me the time today?
JOHN MARSHALL LEE 203-259-9642
Truly; Attorney General Tong needs to open an investigation into the horrendous situation at Success Village. There is obvious negligence and very probable misappropriation of condo association $ by someone having access to, and the ability to withdraw common-charge funds from the accounts used in that regard. Indeed, there is probable criminal activity involving the Success Village BOD…
Maria Pereira knows the operation of the BOD and the condition of the association and its finances. She took appropriate and necessary (heroic) measures by way of intervention on behalf of her beleaguered/abused constituency living in that troubled neighborhood. There are certainly some “dirty,” “pirate” board members robbing, pillaging, and plundering that modest-income neighborhood residents of their main source of security and comfort (their homes) — most probably in concert with “investors” looking to secure lucrative rental/sales options for practically nothing in a tight, pricey rental/sales market…
Maria is a hero in this situation and needs the AG and Governor to step in on her behalf even as dirty, local political elements try to intimidate her and shut her down…
Maria’s next stop — the next stop among several others in Bridgeport — should be Nob Hill, which is ripping-off and neglecting their modest-income owners in what is probably a similar scenario to the Success Village crime scene.
Good luck, Maria!
(Run, pirates/”investors”! RUN!!!)