BLOOMFIELD, Conn. — A tenant union has formed in Bloomfield, as residents at the Manor House apartment complex fight against what they say are unfair rent increases, evictions and lack of maintenance.
The Manor House Tenant Union held its first public action Monday afternoon, rallying outside management offices to voice their concerns.
The demonstration included chants and remarks from a few residents.
“We’re in the fight of our lives here in Connecticut,” said Julian Alleyne, leader of the Manor House Tenants Union.
They said they’ve been dealing with unfair rent hikes, ranging from just a few dollars to hundreds, and evictions, while maintenance requests go unanswered. Over 100 of the 125 apartments voted to form a tenant union as a local chapter of the Connecticut Tenants Union.
“It’s not justifiable to increase the rent and there’s no updates,” said Alleyne.
“There are mold issues. The garbage cans and the laundry, they’re overflowing,” he continued.
Residents laid out those concerns in a formal letter addressed to current owner Navarino Property Group, requesting a meeting with management. There was no reply.
“The union is saying hey, you have a problem and we’re here to solve it with you,” remarked Hannah Srajer, president of the Connecticut Tenants Union.
Navarino Property Group bought the complex in February. While tenants said these issues existed prior to that purchase, their concerns have largely been ignored by the new management.
Luke Melonakos-Harrison, vice president of the Connecticut Tenants Union, said, “As tenants, we have so little power as individuals. We could get faced with a rent hike of any drastic amount at any time and be forced to uproot our lives. It’s time to band together and see how much leverage we can have and negotiating power we can have as a union.”
“I’m hoping that this new property owner takes it serious and is willing to sit down and talk because we’re not hostile, we just don’t want to be scared about being able to eat or pay our rent,” said Alleyne.
Attempts to reach Navarino Property Group for comment were unsuccessful. The Manor House Tenants Union plans to hold its first official meeting at the Wintonbury Church in Bloomfield on July 16.
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Kaelee Collins is a multimedia journalist for FOX61 News. She can be reached at kcollins@fox61.com. Follow her on X, and Instagram.
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