Fabrizi has said he has been clean since late 2004. He passed a drug test last weekend requested by the Connecticut Post.

But he apologized during a 2-hour question-and-answer session at Captain's Cove Seaport in the city's Black Rock section.

City department heads fielded questions from the audience about such topics as parks, fire safety and traffic for the first two hours of the session. Fabrizi said he would publicly outline his rehabilitation plan at 11 a.m. today.

A query about the city's image prompted the mayor's latest apology.

"I've made some terrible choices. I want to clear the air," he said. "I've got to come to peace with myself because the last thing I wanted to do was embarrass the city of Bridgeport."

He said that while he has not been arrested as a result of his admission, first-time offenders often receive drug-abuse treatment and community service. If the court-set conditions are met, the charges are dropped, he said.

Still, he vowed not to let himself off easy.

"I will talk [Friday] about the penalty I will impose on myself," he said.

He would not elaborate Thursday night.

While public reaction to his admission has been mixed, the crowd of about 50 people applauded him on the deck outside the Captain's Cove restaurant.

Peter Filippakis of Black Rock went a little further.

"We all make mistakes. I give you a lot of credit, sir," he said. "God bless you, sir. You're a good man. I'll go with you 100 percent."

Later, Filippakis shouted, "You're the best mayor we ever had!"

The mayor said that when he took office three years ago, the city's image was that it "wasn't safe and the city was corrupt."

Fabrizi first became mayor following the resignation of former Mayor Joseph P. Ganim, who was sentenced in July 2003 to a nine-year federal prison term on federal racketeering charges.

But Fabrizi said that since he has taken over, he has re-started ethics training and the city's Ethics Commission.

He has also staffed the purchasing board and worked with police to reduce crime, Fabrizi said.

Before taking questions and discussing his past cocaine use, Fabrizi outlined some of the problems facing the city.

He said the city is 17 square miles, most of which is developed.

About 45 percent of the properties in the city are off the tax rolls because there are about 100 tax exclusions in state law, the mayor said.

And some structures, such as the former Read's, Warnaco and Citytrust buildings, were vacant for decades while racking up hefty, unpaid tax bills.

But developers are turning those buildings into apartments, which brings in work, living space and taxpayers, as well as improving neighborhoods, Fabrizi said.

This former industrial city also has more than 300 brownfields, which need to be decontaminated before they can be reused, he said.

George Ochs, of the Black Rock Homeowners Association, asked whether the former city landfill off Seaside Park, visible from Captain's Cove, could be developed.

Fabrizi said he continues to try to attract developers to the city.

He said he will participate in a conference call Monday with two developers, arranged by Black Rock native and television star John Ratzenberger.

Aaron Leo, who covers regional issues, can be reached at 330-6222.