Bridgeport, Stratford Back H.B. 5500 for Success Village Co-op

Bridgeport and Stratford Mayors Urge State to Waive Success Village Tax Interest

The mayors of Bridgeport and Stratford have jointly called on the Connecticut General Assembly to relieve the Success Village housing cooperative of tax interest and penalties that have accumulated since July 2022, submitting written testimony on March 11, 2026 in support of H.B. 5500.

Bridgeport Mayor Joseph Ganim and Stratford Mayor David Chess told the state's Planning and Development Committee that more than 920 families living at Success Village — a cooperative straddling both municipalities — should not be penalized for financial mismanagement by the cooperative's former leadership.

What H.B. 5500 Would Do

H.B. 5500 does not forgive the principal property tax debt owed by Success Village. Instead, the bill would refund interest and penalties that have accrued on those unpaid taxes since July 1, 2022.

Residents of Success Village paid monthly fees they believed were covering property taxes, maintenance, and utilities. However, those funds were not used to pay taxes under the cooperative's former leadership, resulting in delinquent accounts and compounding interest charges. The mayors' joint testimony characterized the penalties as double victimization — first by the cooperative's financial mismanagement, and again by the accumulating interest burden.

By waiving those interest charges, the bill would give court-appointed receiver attorney Barry Knott the financial breathing room to address critical infrastructure repairs and stabilize the cooperative's long-term operations.

The 2024 Infrastructure Crisis

The push for legislative relief follows a severe infrastructure crisis at Success Village. In December 2024, the cooperative experienced a near-total collapse of its heating and hot water systems, leaving hundreds of families without essential services during winter.

The crisis prompted both Bridgeport and Stratford to seek a court appointment of a receiver to take over management of the property. Attorney Barry Knott was named receiver and now oversees day-to-day operations, finances, and compliance for the cooperative.

The financial burden of the accumulated tax interest has complicated recovery efforts. With the principal debt already substantial, the additional interest charges have strained the receiver's ability to direct funds toward infrastructure repairs.

Success Village in Bridgeport and Stratford

Success Village is located on Success Avenue, spanning portions of both Bridgeport and Stratford in Fairfield County. The cooperative houses more than 920 families and represents one of the larger multi-family housing developments in southwestern Connecticut.

The cooperative model places financial responsibilities — including tax payments and building maintenance — on the cooperative's governing body rather than individual unit owners. When that governance fails, as it did in the case of Success Village, residents have limited recourse even if they have paid their monthly fees in good faith.

Legislative Status

As of the March 11, 2026 testimony, H.B. 5500 is under review by the Connecticut Planning and Development Committee. No vote date had been publicly scheduled. The bill is among several pieces of legislation aimed at addressing housing stability and cooperative governance across the state.

Both mayors urged the committee to move quickly, noting that continued delay means continued interest accumulation and further strain on the receiver's ability to execute repairs and stabilize the property for residents.

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