Single-family permits were up 11% in February 2009, according to NAR the huge inventory backlog is being slowly whittled down.   Another sign that consumers are considering jumping back into the housing market is the growing interest in the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit included in the recently enacted economic stimulus package. During February and March 2009, 1.5 million visitors logged on to NAHB's consumer website, http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com, to learn more about the tax credit. Further, a new survey commissioned by Move, Inc. found that nearly 20% of those who plan to purchase a home this year are doing so to take advantage of the tax credit, which expires at the end of November.  When you are ready, contact me today for a personal market value analysis of your ... 04/10/2009

Ash Creek is one of the last remaining tidal estuaries in an urban environment in the United States.  Over 50 years of citizen participation and activism have protected this tidal estuary from development and disruption of its fragile ecosystem.  Years of industrial pollution and dumping took its toll on this ecosystem, but it has been self-restoring itself for the past 50 years.  Ash Creek is one of 15 stopover areas for migrating shorebirds along the Connecticut coastline.  Palearctic shorebirds travel as far as from the Arctic Circle to Argentina and back.  They need shallow tidal estuaries with mudflats upon which to feed and rest.  There were hundreds of shallow tidal estuaries in Colonial times along the Connecticut coastline, but most have been lost to development. This tidal es... 04/08/2009

Protect our neighborhood and have a voice for the proposed "Harbor Walk Condominium".  Please attend the Historic District Meeting for the 340 Brewster Street (house opposite the flagpole) Where: Wheeler Room B, CITY HALL, 45 Lyon Terrace When: Tuesday, April 7, 2009 Time:  6:00 pm Brewster Street Partners, LLC are applying for a Certificate of Appropriateness to Restore the existing building Construct 3 new buildings in the rear referred to as "Harbor Walk Condominium Note: No information was provided on building except the proposed elevations and the appearance (they will look exactly like the front building)Access will be via  a gate which could be made to look like a three car garage- one will be for the current house, two others will provide an entrance and exit way to the new buil... 04/02/2009

  The Black Rock Garden Club is offering free seeds to plant a row in your garden this summer and donate your produce to the Black Rock Food Pantry.  Donations are accepted at the food pantry on the corner of Fairfield Avenue and Princeton Street in Black Rock after 10 AM daily (522-5647)  www.blackrockfoodpantry.com See www.blackrockonline.org for more events 03/31/2009

  Adopt a disease-resistant American Liberty elm tree (from the Elm Research Institute in New Hampshire).  The trees are approximately 6 feet tall, the trunks are approximately 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter.  They are discount priced at $70 each.  You can pick up your tree at 2:30 PM on Saturday, April 18 at the Burroughs Community Center.  To order your tree, call Dave Berkowitz at 552-4904.  Black Rock Garden Club volunteers will show you how to plant your tree and even go to your yard to assist with the planting on April 18. www.blackrockonline.org 03/31/2009

Please join Auden Grogins and Black Rock Homeowners Association for a co-sponsored forum on "Smart Growth: A Vision for Property Tax Relief".  When: Thursday, April 16th, 2009, 7:00pm Where: Burroughs Community Center, 2470 Fairfield Ave.  Hear What Our Leaders Are Doing to Permanently Reduce Our Reliance on Property Taxes: Brendan Sharkey, Co-Chair Property Tax & Smart Growth Tax Force Heidi Green, President of 1000 Friends of Connecticut Auden Grogins, State Representative Bridgeport   Hear What They Have to Say About: TAXES-Duplicating services and tax systems over 169 town's means we're wasting precious resources and overtaxing residents. SOLUTIONS - Give incentives to better coordinate land use decisions, economic development, transportation, housing, services. EDUCATION -Guide de... 03/31/2009

Credit Repair in Bridgeport CT National Credit Fixers: 330 Roberts Street 4th Floor East Hartford CT 06108 phone: 860-282-6181 www.nationalcreditfixers.com National Credit Fixers boasts of 12 years experience repairing low FICO scores. Whether your credit has been damaged by a foreclosure, bankruptcy, slow credit, collections, judgments, repossessions, etc. we can help. We are the experts in credit restoration and credit repair. National Credit Fixers is a reputable company that can legally remove negative items off of your credit reports and help you qualify for the best rates possible! Information contained in your credit file must be reported according to a law called the Fair Credit Reporting Act (F.C.R.A.). If the information isn't accurate or verifiable then it must be deleted.  T... 03/27/2009

The Connecticut Post ran this article on March 17, 2009 that describes the steps the City of Bridgeport is taking to fill bank owned/foreclosed homes. City to broker foreclosed homes   By Rob VarnonSTAFF WRITER Updated: 03/17/2009 11:07:41 PM EDT   BRIDGEPORT -- Mayor Bill Finch unveiled a $25 million program Tuesday that within a month could begin to put families into 200 foreclosed and abandoned properties in the city. "The first loans will go out in two weeks," Finch pledged at a news conference in front of a foreclosed home at 72 Sidney St. He was there to announce the launch of Bridgeport's "Neighborhood Stabilization Program Funding," accompanied by state officials and several employees of nonprofits. The program will leverage $6 million in federal funding to create a $25 million ... 03/24/2009

Fourth Annual Garden Fest on Sunday, March 29 at 3 PM at Harborview Market, 216 Harborview Avenue, Black Rock.  Sponsored by the Black Rock Garden Club.  Speakers include:  Wally Pugh on "Container Gardening with Herbs and Vegetables", Selma Miriam on "Herb Recipes from Bloodroot", Mary Jo Lent on "New Periennials for 2009", and Nora Galvin on "Beekeeping and Honey Harvesting".  Moderated by Wendy Lindquist, owner of Lindquist Landscaping. Vendors include:  Mayan Imports - ceramics for the garden; Happy Tails - wild bird supplies, Peter Konserlie - sandcasting - art for the garden, Bill Parker - birdhouses, Pati Feher - botanical prints and cards http://www.blackrockonline.org/garden-fest-2009   03/22/2009

The final version of the strategic plan adopted by the Black Rock NRZ (Neighborhood Revitalization Zone) is available for downloan in PDF format on the Black Rock Community Blog Each area of the City of Bridgeport has been divided into NRZ's with Black Rock being Prone of them.  The Black Rock NRZ is bordered by the South End NRZ (Bostwick Avenue) and the West End NRZ (I-95).  NRZ's can be powerful entities, which give power to residents of a community in shaping and forming their future.  In 1995 the State of Connecticut passed a statute (CGS 7-600) allowing cities to create Neighborhood Revitalization Zones (NRZs), but few cities have created NRZs across an entire city or tried to move forward as quickly with the planning and implementation of them. An NRZ Planning Committee develope... 03/08/2009

On Saturday, March 7, two members of each Black Rock community organization were invited to attend a meeting to develop strategies and plans for working together.  Our community has become a model for other neighborhoods in the city to emulate because of the deep involvement in civic activities by our residents.  The Black Rock Community Council, which was established in 1978, took the lead role in sponsoring the Black Rock Summit and inviting the participants, which included our State Representative Auden Grogins and City Councilperson Sue Brannelly. The meeting was held at the Burroughs Community Center and started at 8:30 AM with a coffee social, where neighborhood leaders had a chance to chat with one another and introduce themselves to those they didn't know.  This was followed by ... 03/08/2009

Data extracted from: CMLS 12/2008 Gutierrez Real Estate Group 02/15/2009

Data from CMLS 12/2008 Expired/RedActive/BluePending/GreenSold/Yellow 02/15/2009

  On Tuesday, February 24, 2009, from 7-9 PM, the Friends of the Bridgeport Public Library will be holding their 2nd Annual Mardi Gras Celebration at the Black RockBranch Library at 2705 Fairfield Avenue! This will be a fantastic "Sneak Peek" for community members just before the Black Rock Branch opens.  There will be music, a silent auction, food and much more. Admission is $30.00 per person, $50.00 per couple.  HOW TO PARTICIPATE 1.   Purchase tickets via your mail invitation or at Happy Tails at Ash Creek (you may charge the tickets on major credit card).  You may also make a donation for any amount if you cannot attend the event. 2.   Advertise in Program: e-mail .gif or .jpg file to friends@bridgeportpubliclibrary.org. with your logo.      Make and mail check to: Friends of Bpt. ... 02/06/2009

There is a new branch of psychology that contends that involvement with nature is necessary to our mental health.  Living in Black Rock, we have an amazing natural resource within our community -- the Ash Creek tidal estuary.  The Ash Creek tidal estuary is one of the few remaining feeding stopover areas for palearctic shorebirds as they travel from Hudson Bay in the Arctic Circle to as far south as Argentina.  This fabulous migration occurs in the fall and spring.  The long distance, high Arctic migratory shorebirds include: Sanderlings, Semiparmated Plovers, and Black Bellied Ploveds, all of which are on Watch Lists and become listed as Endangered Species.  The Red Knots are the migratory shorebirds that make the trek from the high Arctic to Argentina and back again.  They are totall... 02/04/2009

SAVE THE DATE!  On Tuesday, February 24, 2009, the Friends of the Bridgeport Public Library will be holding their 2nd Annual Mardi Gras Celebration at the BLACK ROCK Branch Library at 2705 Fairfield Avenue! This will be a fantastic "Sneak Peek" for community members just before the Black Rock Branch opens.  There will be music, a silent auction, food and much more.  For more information about buying tickets, donating silent auction items, business advertising, or volunteering, contact: Jill Hughes jdugashughes@hotmail.com, 518.859.6251 Thanks! 02/04/2009

Acoustic Cafe (335-3655) - The Mercery Seed will play tonight (January 22) at 9:30 PM.  The Way Up will perform on Friday night and Shawn Taylor on Saturday night.  The Acoustic Cafe also has it's Open Mic night on Tuesdays at 9 PM.  Call for ticket prices. Ray Kelly's Pub (332-6889) - Josh Dougl Band plays Saturday evening The Field Restaurant and Bar, 3001 Fairfield Avenue, Black Rock (333-0043) - Hot Buttered Rum, will play Friday at 10 PM.  Admission is free.  01/22/2009

Are you ready? Saturday February 7th 2009 is Burroughs 2nd annual Freezin' for a Reason! Dozens of supporters will be running into the ice cold waters of Long Island Sound to help raise money for the Burroughs Community Center  ~ and we want you to join in on the fun! To make a donation or to create your online fundraising page go to www.Firstgiving.com/burroughs  and get family & friends to support you right away! Registration & Post Party is at the Gaelic American Club. Plunge at 11am at Jennings Beach in Fairfield. Questions? Contact Laura at Laura@BurroughsCC.org. 01/21/2009

Acoustic Cafe (335-3655) -  features Darian Cunning, winner of Fairfield County Weekly music poll for best soul singer, and Honor by August with One Right Turn on Friday at 9 PM ($5).  Open Mic on Tuesdays at 8 PM ($3).  Renard Boissier on Wednesday at 9 PM (no cover charge). Ray Kelly's Pub (333-6278) - Toni Ferrigno will play Friday night and Soul Circus will perform Saturday night. 01/16/2009

Acoustic Cafe (335-3655) -  features Fink Friday at 9 PM ($5).  The Lawn Boys and Consider the Source will perform on Saturday at 9 PM ($5).   Open Mic on Tuesday at 8 PM. Ray Kelly's Pub (333-6278) - The Grapes will play Friday night and Running with Scissors will perform Saturday night. 01/09/2009