A group of Bridgeport residents with disabilities say their handicapped parking signs were removed from the front of their homes.

Wendi McManus, 34, is a single mother with disabilities. She says she got a surprise last week when a worker at Success Village took down the handicapped parking sign that was front of her condo.

"This is completely wrong, this is unacceptable," said McManus, who is about to undergo back surgery.

"The thought of going under the knife in six months, of being bedridden for recovery and stuff like this is going on. It's just very scary," McManus said. "I didn't just take a sign from the street and put it in front of my house. I filled out the paperwork, I have my permit."

"There were at least half a dozen signs that were taken out," said Success Village resident Ty Bird, who added he's been keeping count that each of six parking signs were removed over the past several days.

City officials said because the complex is a co-op of independently owned apartments, the city is not in charge of handicapped parking in the area.

Disability compliance expert Loretta Williams, who worked for the city for 20 years, however said removing the signs was a violation of state and federal housing laws.

"It's wrong to do that type of thing," Williams said. She added that homeowners associations like the one that runs the complex often violate housing laws purely out of ignorance.

"I think that once they become aware of their rights and responsibilities that they can correct that," Williams said.

The management company that runs the complex declined to comment, though one member of the association's board said off-camera each owner is given one designated parking spot and that should be used for handicapped parking.

But McManus said she has two vehicles and is now down to just one space. She added that she does not know what to do about the situation.

The affected residents said they are considering filing a lawsuit against the management company and the association's board of directors.