From Dan Tepfer, CT Post:
A federal bankruptcy judge Friday dismissed the bankruptcy filing by the former management of Success Village.
Judge Julie Manning ruled that the bankruptcy filing, made before a state judge could appoint a receiver for the 924-unit co-op that straddles the Bridgeport/Stratford line, was done in bad faith and that the case has properly gone forward with the appointment of Stratford lawyer Barry Knott as the receiver.
“Because of the existing and continuing health and safety violations, which directly relate to the daily health and safety of the Debtor’s residents, the court finds the estate has been grossly mismanaged,” Judge Manning ruled.
On Tuesday Superior Court Judge Dale Radcliffe appointed Knott to oversee the finances and operation of the co-op after a four-day trial interrupted when the co-op’s former president Tyreke Bird filed for bankruptcy on behalf of the co-op.
Full story here
One could say he filled for bankruptcy on behalf of himself?
The owner-residents of Success Village have needed a local venue where complaints about the rule of law, self-governance process, and failure to deal with health and safety violations could be provided to a municipal body that cared about them.
The leader of the City was getting another photo, this time with a genuine democratic Democrat running for President. She is opposing someone with whom the Mayor agrees about governance style it appears. The former President, Donald Trump, exhibits autocratic symptons regularly, and has promised a fallback to totalitarian as a dictator, on Day One of any new term he wins.
Our Charter has mandated a Fair Housing Commission since Ganim left office the first time for corrupt practices, but those who succeeded him including Mayors Fabrizi, Finch, and finally Ganim2 or 3 ignore appointing to this governance body a full group of qualified resident voters to serve and participate in active democratic process. Does this Mayor care about practical Civics? How much do you think he cares? What if he embraced the idea of community conversations, in each District neighborhood, no City cameras, responding to each question honestly? Would you attend? Time will tell.
The Success Village mess could be the tip of the iceberg of Bridgeport’s huge condo-housing presence/dependence. I have several friends in other developments around the city who have stories of neglected common areas — including sewage leaks into basement storage areas — even as common charges continue to rise in order to meet “statutory requirements” for reserve-contingency funds when the funds are presumably (should be) well past the required contingency level…. It seems that there might too much “reserve funding” in at least one of these situations — reserves$ with u$uriou$ “late charge$” mounting to dangerously “tempting” levels even as physical-plant and maintenance needs scream to be addressed….
This housing-strapped city (with its grossly overpriced housing) is in dire need of official housing oversite, per JML’s admonitions. If just Success Village residents need to be relocated, this city has no apparent, viable options. (Maybe a tent city at Seaside Park?! What happens if the stresses of winter expose other condo developments (not to mention BHA housing) to untenable habitation requirements as the heating/hot water capacity of other older developments fall short of demand and legal capacity requirements?!
Someone should look into this type of temporary heating system for Success Village.
It’s called (Mr. Heater) will heat up to 1000 sq feet, runs on propane gas and unvented.
With the Building and Fire departments approval, it just might keep from relocating 2000 people from their homes.
Mr. Heater
Bundle Includes: Mr. Heater 30,000 BTU Unvented Blue Flame Propane Heater with Blower, and Mr. Heater 12-ft Hose for Propane Unvented Series Heaters
Features: This heater is conveniently equipped with a thermostat for superior control of the temperature in your space. It is just what you need to take the chill out of your ice house, cabin, enclosed porch or drafty room in your house
Benefits: This Blue Flame 30,000 BTU Liquid Propane Unvented Heater is the perfect supplemental heating solution even on the coldest days
Easy to Use: This unit can be permanently mounted to the wall or securely fastened to the floor with included mounting brackets and fasteners
Features: Quiet integrated blower for gentle circulation of heated air