Bridgeport officials create federal report of conditions at Greene Homes Apartments

Bridgeport officials Thursday created a federal report of what they say are sub-standard living conditions at the Greene Homes Apartments.
Mayor Joe Ganim brought together dozens of city officials from police and fire to the City Council and Housing Authority to conduct a comprehensive examination of the living conditions at the Washington Avenue facility.
Officials are creating a report which will be submitted to federal housing officials in an effort to see what can be done to improve the quality of life standards at the complex.
Philippe Bermudes, a 54-year-old disabled Army veteran, says he's had it with the chronically broken elevator in Building 2. When he got his hip replaced three weeks ago, Bermudes says he had to walk up several flights of stairs.
"I'm disgusted with this problem here, and I'm frustrated," says Bermudes. "Something's got to be done. Something's got to be done because this is frustrating."
Bermudes says the elevator was eventually repaired, but the issues extend beyond the elevators. Tenants say the complex is old, depressingly institutional and foul-smelling.
Mayor Ganim says he will apply the same pressure on the federal government when it comes to the city's other housing projects so that the quality of life can be improved at all of Bridgeport's housing facilities.
Betty Cook, the tenant commissioner for Bridgeport Housing, says it will take everybody working together to improve the quality of life.
"We need more maintenance help to help clean these buildings, and we need the tenants to clean up behind themselves too," says Cook.
City officials hope to have their report completed by next week in hopes of speeding up the process.