Six-year-old Ayla saves up her birthday money and every coin she comes across, hoping she can collect enough in her toy safe to buy her family a new house. Ever since she can remember, their home at the Wedgewood Apartments in Bloomfield has been plagued with problems. A bathtub with peeling paint.
Broken appliances. Poorly maintained outdoor areas. A water heater placed in their apartment in violation of building code .
Ayla, who has been given a pseudonym at her family’s request, knows they’ve done everything they can to protect her. They’ve attended tenant union meetings, talked to town councilors and state lawmakers and issued complaints with the Bloomfield Fair Rent Commission . And still, her family doesn’t feel safe in their housing.
Despite going before the Fair Rent Commission for help addressing poor housing conditions and then a rent increase, the family is still struggling to get repairs done. There’s a persistent smell of sewage that floats through the air vents in the apartment, especially when it rains. Their fridge doesn’t seal correctly, meaning the food sometimes spoils quickly.
The grass isn’t cut, there’s been construction material out on the grounds for years and the pool is closed. They have to use a plunger on the bathroom sink nearly every day to remove black gunk that clogs the pipes. “She’s been saving her little coins for a house because she don’t want to live like that,” said Donna Curry, Ayla’s grandmother.
“She’s bee.
