Bridgeport, CT – Residents of the Charles F. Greene Homes public housing complex in the Hollow neighborhood took control of their narrative this spring by photographing their own community. The five‑week photovoice project, conducted with PT Partners and Sacred Heart University staff, culminated in an exhibit at BPT Creates that displayed both the hardships of aging housing and the strength of neighborly ties.
Project background
Eight Greene Homes residents worked with university assistants Tricia Lewis and Julia Bates to capture images that reflect everyday life inside the development. Participants selected the photos they felt best represented their experiences and discussed the meaning behind each shot. The resulting exhibit featured five thematic sections: damage and disrespect, addictions and bad habits, escape, once a community, and “who is this for?”
Living conditions documented
Greene Homes, built in 1950, houses more than 700 people, the majority of whom identify as Black or Latino. Photographs showed frequent elevator outages, mold‑affected walls, broken windows, deteriorating laundry facilities and a basement where some residents sleep amid lingering urine odors. Long‑time resident Deshawn Russell described how a broken elevator left him climbing stairs after surgery, underscoring how maintenance failures affect basic daily tasks.
Other images captured hallway graffiti, garbage, and stickers on doors—visual reminders of neglect. Yet the exhibit also displayed moments of beauty: fashion, nature, sky views and spaces where residents find comfort.
Community voice and concern
Former resident Otika Fulton warned that outsiders often see only the problems of public housing, missing the people who live there. “It’s not the projects; it’s the people in the projects,” she said, adding that gratitude for housing should not mean accepting substandard conditions. Fulton likened the situation to “putting glitter on mold.”
Current residents echoed that sentiment. Angie Rendon, who lived at Greene Homes from 2021 to 2024, stressed that residents themselves must tell their story, not officials who may reinterpret experiences to suit policy goals. “When you let other people tell it, it doesn’t get told in the way that it needs to,” she said.
Lanice Johnson highlighted the impact of unreliable elevators on older adults, noting that many seniors are forced to stay in their apartments until repairs are made.
Future of Greene Homes
Mayor Joe Ganim announced in 2018 that Greene Homes would be demolished and rebuilt. In 2023, Park City Communities received a Choice Neighborhoods Initiative grant to plan the redevelopment of the Hollow area. Despite the grant, residents say repairs remain unaddressed and the timeline for demolition is unclear.
“It doesn’t matter how many work orders you put in. Their excuses for the past two years have been the same thing: demolition is coming,” Rendon said. “But no one should have to live like that.”
Former Marina Village resident Charlene Colson, whose South End complex was demolished in 2018, urged Greene Homes tenants to ask questions about relocation options, vouchers and timelines. “We are important. We matter,” she said. “You have to use your voice.”
Why the exhibit matters
The photovoice project gave residents a platform to present both the challenges and the resilience of their community. By documenting conditions and sharing personal stories, participants hope to influence future planning decisions and ensure that any redevelopment includes resident input.
Park City Communities did not respond to requests for comment on the concerns raised during the exhibit.
Original reporting: The Connecticut Mirror — read the source article.
