|
|
For Immediate Release
Bridgeport Neighborhood Trust’s $2 million available for Bridgeport Multi-Unit Homeowners The year was 1951 and bread was 16 cents a loaf and the stock market was at 269. Bridgeport’s Mayor Jasper McLevy saw Bridgeport’s population grow to 159,000 people. Three of those were 30 year old Margaret Gorlo, her husband and their two-year old son. Mr. Gorlo who was an Army war veteran brought his family to Bridgeport where he bought a house at 1578 East Main Street and payed the mortgage from his earnings at Sikorsky Aircraft. Margaret Gorlo said recently while sitting in her first floor living room that in the 1950s, “The area was beautiful. Within walking distance was First National Market, Skydel’s, Watson’s and the Colonial Theater. Well, that was all 58 years ago. Mr. Gorlo passed away 32 years ago and of this writing his bride still lives in that home but will soon move to a home that is more accessible as she battles with illnesses that come with her age. Mrs. Gorlo owns two homes next door to each other and has always strived to be a good landlord to her tenants. She had no idea, however, about the detrimental effects lead can have on children until recently when she saw a movie at the health department that stressed the dangers of household lead paint on children. Five years ago she read about the City’s Bridgeport Lead Free Families Program and she took advantage of it to encapsulate and remove lead in one of the two homes she now owns. More recently she took advantage of another lead program run by Bridgeport Neighborhood Trust (BNT) called LEAP which stands for the Lead Elimination Action Program. BNT’s Lead Program Director Tammy Talton says each home in the program is assessed by an environmental consultant which is used by the project designer to determine the scope of work. Through the LEAP program BNT hired SSM Builders which installed new vinyl siding, windows, and doors in order to make the units lead safe and rid the homes potential lead hazards. Today, Mrs. Gorlo says she can rest easy because her tenants are lead safe. She has a certificate which she can now show prospective tenants and Section 8 officials if necessary which proves her home is lead safe. “It’s beautiful. I like it. I think it’s money well spent by the government and by me. It’s a noble thing to do because lead is dangerous.” The program provides funding for lead remediation and in turn the property owner agrees to rent to low income families with children for three years. Mrs. Gorlo says she is certainly OK with it especially now that she searches for a family to take over the apartment she lived in for 58 years. She wants to provide the new tenant all the possibilities and health it gave to her family during the last six decades. Investors and homeowners of multi-family properties are encouraged to call for information about BNT’s LEAP program, call Tammy Talton at (203) 332-7977.
From Left to Right: Tammy Talton (BNT’s Lead Program Director ), Margaret Gorlo, and Click here |
|
Our mailing address is: Our website: www.bntweb.org Copyright (C) 2009 Bridgeport Neighborhood Trust. All rights reserved. This is an American View Productions Press Release.(203 366 5033) |
