When Jillian Baldwin took the helm at Park City Communities (PCC), formerly known as the Bridgeport Housing Authority, in 2020, she inherited an agency in crisis. Funding was scarce, employee morale was low, and critical systems were broken. The agency lacked respect from residents and was teetering on the brink of federal intervention.
In just 15 months, Baldwin led PCC out of its troubled status. Today, PCC is a model of transformation, actively building new housing, renovating existing units, and fostering trust among employees, residents, and the broader community.
The HAI Group Online Training team visited PCC to hear Baldwin, PCC employees, and residents describe the agency's journey. You can watch their story below.
A city’s decline and a housing authority in crisis
At the turn of the 20th century, Bridgeport—New England’s fifth most populous city—thrived. But by the 1960s, economic decline set in, fueled by the collapse of industry and infrastructure. Crime rates rose, and deteriorating public housing developments became ground zero for many of the city’s challenges.
Before Baldwin arrived, PCC had cycled through five executive directors in just four years. According to Diedra Perry, PCC’s chief of property operations, the agency was in troubled status with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
A leader with a reputation for change
Baldwin is known for turning around struggling housing authorities. Her expertise hasn’t gone unnoticed—many cities and states have sought her leadership.
Upon arriving at PCC, she immediately got to work. She reviewed the agency’s annual plan, budget, and policies, then met with HUD officials to understand why PCC had remained troubled for so long. The root cause? Underperformance and a lack of accountability.
“The staff were overwhelmed,” Baldwin explained. “They were tired. They were mistreated. So, I did a lot to win them over—a lot of meetings, a lot of communication, a lot of selling the vision, setting the tone, and eventually, [the] majority came along.”
Restoring trust and empowering employees
Bettie Cook, chair of PCC’s Board of Commissioners, credits Baldwin with removing the agency from HUD’s troubled status in just 15 months.
“Now we can write our own ticket,” Cook said. “Before, we couldn’t do (anything) but sit still.”
Previously, PCC could not build new housing. That changed under Baldwin’s leadership.
“Now we are building on Hanover Street, we are going to knock down on Smith Street and do some one bedrooms,” Cook continued. “There’s a lot of things on the plate now because of this young lady.”
Unlocking funding and driving redevelopment
With PCC’s improved status, the agency is now eligible for federal, state, and local funding and has secured over $11 million in grants to date.
In 2023, PCC received a Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant to redevelop the Charles F. Greene Homes community. The $500,000 grant, co-signed by Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim, is part of a broader plan to revitalize the city’s housing landscape.
“One of the biggest challenges to redevelopment is lack of available funding,” Baldwin said. “Also, finding the right development partner that’s community-centered and understands that our resident perspective comes first.”
Baldwin has also built strong relationships with key stakeholders, including Congressman Jim Himes and Mayor Ganim.
“They are the single largest participant in my executive order and goal to create 6,000 new units of housing in the city of Bridgeport between now and the year 2030,” Ganim said.
The momentum continues
For Perry, PCC’s transformation is personal—she grew up in public housing and understands its importance.
“I know what public housing was, and I know what it can be,” Perry said. “I want to be a part of making it better. To see that we have someone (like Baldwin) that cares about the outcomes and the people that we serve, it makes a difference.”
Baldwin believes that with the proper foundation, no challenge is insurmountable.
“You just have to see it,” Baldwin said. “We can see solutions at the Bridgeport Housing Authority, I think, in a way that perhaps teams of the past weren’t able to, so there’s never a situation that we feel like we can’t combat. It may take longer than we hoped, we may have to redirect in the plan—and that’s expected—but we’ll win. We will win back housing in Bridgeport.”
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