Bill Bringing Relief to Success Village Residents Heads to House & Senate for Consideration

A bill designed to provide financial relief to residents of Success Village, a common interest community spanning Bridgeport and Stratford, has passed out of the Planning & Development Committee and will now head to the House and Senate for passage.

House Bill 5500, “An Act Concerning a Waiver of Interest on Certain Delinquent Municipal Property Taxes’, will address the financial fallout caused by the mismanagement of former community management, who failed to properly manage community funds, leaving residents with significant back property taxes and accruing interest despite having paid their community fees in full and on time.

“On January 6, I hosted a town hall at Success Village to connect residents with community resources and hear directly about the challenges they were facing,” said State Senator Herron Keyon Gaston (D-Bridgeport). “During that meeting, many residents spoke about the hardship caused by mismanagement, from lack of heat and hot water to financial burdens they should never have had to carry. I heard you loud and clear. Since that conversation, I have been working with the Bridgeport and Stratford legislative delegations and other key partners to push for meaningful relief and long-term stability for the residents of Success Village. The residents of Success Village have done nothing wrong. They paid what was asked of them and deserved responsible leadership in return. I stand in solidarity with this community and will continue fighting to ensure these wrongs are made right.”

“House Bill 5500 is about doing right by the residents of Success Village,” said State Representative Christopher Rosario (D-Bridgeport). “These families paid their common charges in good faith and should not be punished for financial mismanagement they had no control over. I’ve been working alongside Councilwoman Maria Pereira and Councilwoman Keyla Medina to make sure the residents receive the relief they deserve, and that this community has the stability it needs moving forward.”

“The residents of Success Village have really been put through the wringer over the last few years, including problems with old equipment, leading to issues with heat and hot water,” said State Representative Joseph Gresko (D-Stratford). “But they’re working hard to right the ship. This bill would allow the funds that have been paid in interest and penalties to be returned to the receivership from the municipalities to continue paying down debt. The residents deserve a resolution. This is the light at the end of the tunnel that we want to see keep going.”

Residents of Success Village, many of whom went weeks without heat and hot water as a direct consequence of the unpaid taxes, have been burdened with a financial crisis that was not of their making. HB 5500 would forgive the interest on those back property taxes and return any payments residents have already made toward that interest, providing critical relief to a community that did everything right.

The committee heard substantial public testimony in support of the bill ahead of its advancement.