Officials: Help is Here for Tenants
City and state officials assured Connolly Properties tenants Monday that they will work with them to overcome problems ranging from broken elevators to bedbugs.
At a meeting called by Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs, tenants packed City Hall Library to learn how to file their many complaints against the city’s biggest landlord. Inspections Director Oscar Turk detailed the process and aides to the mayor and Assemblyman Jerry Green passed out complaint forms for follow-up. But when tenants moved from code violations to a call for rent control, officials made no promises and said that battle had to be taken up with the governing body.
In answer to resident Mariam Shastri’s question, “How did you allow this man to get a monopoly here?” Corporation Counsel Dan Williamson cited “free enterprise” and said the city can’t stop people from buying property.
The fact that the company now owns 27 of the city’s multi-family apartment buildings means that renters have limited options other than to pay a $75 non-refundable fee to apply for one of Connolly’s units. Those who succeed in getting a lease also face a $30 parking fee, a $250 deposit and $25 monthly fee for pets and other charges in addition to rent.
“How are we protected, because we have nowhere else to go,” one tenant blurted.
The company made a major acquisition in 2003 when it picked up all of former landlord Fred Tedesco’s holdings and has since added almost all apartment complexes to its portfolio in Plainfield, in addition to holdings in East Orange, Trenton, Camden and Allentown, Pa.
Robinson-Briggs urged tenants to form a tenants’ association in addition to submitting individual complaints and offered the use of City Hall for meetings.
“Let’s give this structure that the mayor’s trying to put together a chance,” Green said.
Connolly is already facing court appearances and fines for failing to fix an elevator at Pingry Arms. The elevator broke in February. But tenants said other buildings have the same problem. In addition, tenants cited broken doors that allow drug sellers and users to enter buildings, vagrants sleeping in hallways, faulty smoke alarms, scalding water in showers and other dangers to their health and safety.
Green said as chairman of the Assembly’s Housing and Local Government Committee he deals with landlords across the state.
“I can’t believe what I’m hearing,” he said Monday. “It’s unbelievable that we let this get out of hand.”
--Bernice Paglia
At a meeting called by Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs, tenants packed City Hall Library to learn how to file their many complaints against the city’s biggest landlord. Inspections Director Oscar Turk detailed the process and aides to the mayor and Assemblyman Jerry Green passed out complaint forms for follow-up. But when tenants moved from code violations to a call for rent control, officials made no promises and said that battle had to be taken up with the governing body.
In answer to resident Mariam Shastri’s question, “How did you allow this man to get a monopoly here?” Corporation Counsel Dan Williamson cited “free enterprise” and said the city can’t stop people from buying property.
The fact that the company now owns 27 of the city’s multi-family apartment buildings means that renters have limited options other than to pay a $75 non-refundable fee to apply for one of Connolly’s units. Those who succeed in getting a lease also face a $30 parking fee, a $250 deposit and $25 monthly fee for pets and other charges in addition to rent.
“How are we protected, because we have nowhere else to go,” one tenant blurted.
The company made a major acquisition in 2003 when it picked up all of former landlord Fred Tedesco’s holdings and has since added almost all apartment complexes to its portfolio in Plainfield, in addition to holdings in East Orange, Trenton, Camden and Allentown, Pa.
Robinson-Briggs urged tenants to form a tenants’ association in addition to submitting individual complaints and offered the use of City Hall for meetings.
“Let’s give this structure that the mayor’s trying to put together a chance,” Green said.
Connolly is already facing court appearances and fines for failing to fix an elevator at Pingry Arms. The elevator broke in February. But tenants said other buildings have the same problem. In addition, tenants cited broken doors that allow drug sellers and users to enter buildings, vagrants sleeping in hallways, faulty smoke alarms, scalding water in showers and other dangers to their health and safety.
Green said as chairman of the Assembly’s Housing and Local Government Committee he deals with landlords across the state.
“I can’t believe what I’m hearing,” he said Monday. “It’s unbelievable that we let this get out of hand.”
--Bernice Paglia
posted by Bernice at 4:32 AM
13 Comments:
Renters have an option: Not live in Connolly's apartments. It is that simple. Used to be a time when Sears, Kmart and Macys were the places to go. Now look at them all.
Williamson is right - This is America. Free enterprise works both ways. Renters should exercise that.
Amazing though, I have to get a permit and be inspected 2x and follow the letter of the law to put up a metal shed on my property...He gets to run thousands of tenants through the wringer with his slum holes and nobody stops it. He did it because he could..quite simply. When you allow people to be the worst that they can be, they will usually oblige you. Not all people, but a lot of them. Connelley as well apparently. I also believe the city should pass a resolution NOT allowing him to charge for parking in the parking lots. When you drive near his buildings the streets are so overly congested it's not exactly pleasant. If I was a tenant there I wouldn't pay to park in some parking lot that came with the building. Good reporting Bernice !!
It is shameful that the administration and JG offer forming an association as a solution. Perhaps the mayor can give up one of her 2 part time assistants (she has 2 PT and 1 FT) so the salary can go to getting more people in the inspections department. Can we really take another 4 years of this kind of leadership?
@6:32AM: You're overlooking the fact that rents in surrounding areas are going to be almost universally higher than they are in Plainfield, for various reasons it probably isn't necessary to detail here. Some people end up living in places they'd rather not due to socioeconomic facts they can't entirely control.
Jerry Green should be ashamed to raise surprise or dismay about the condition of many multi-family homes in Plainfield. He has known the problem existed for decades. The Citizens Revitalization Report 2006, which Assemblymen Green sponsored, clearly and unequivically concluded that effective code enforcement was vital and key to Plainfield's future as an economically and socially vibrant community. Lets not forget, that Mayor Briggs & the council, with the Assembyman Green's approval recendid mandatory inspections for the rental & sale of property.
To respondent #1. You are either an exploiter of people & proeprty or are 100% nieve about the economic profile of most that rent in Plainfield. Many do not have housing options. Who would choose to live in slum conditions -if there were options? The price of poverty is exploitation.
The former Mayor of Chicago once moved into a city owned housing complex to see how it was. Well things changed ....
Maybe some of the out of town staff could sublet for a month in some places in the City? They would be Greener - save gas and able to vote for Jerry !
Green and Briggs call a meeting and act surprised at the state of affairs in the Queen City?
Who are they kidding?!?!
We re-elected them both. We get what we deserve.
The best they can do is wait for the Courier News to print some scathing exposes on the state of rental housing in Plainfield?
Then they call a meeting and act surprised?!?!?!
Then they tell the tenants to fill out complaint forms?!?!?
These are our elected officials?!?!
We just re-elected Mayor Sharon and Master Puppeteer Green.
We get what we deserve.
If you do not want to enforce laws, just go ahead and say so. Then everyone will know what is what, but selective punishment just get everyone confused. Case in point, parking by New St on Front St is not metered or enforced, but in other parts .. watch out !!!
The 2006 council (Burney, Blanco, Van Blake, Carter, Simmons, Davis, Storch) repealed the Safe Homes Initiative which called for annual inspection of all rental properties. Again, look at how much money Green and Robinson-Briggs get in political contributions from real estate and apartment owners associations as well as local realtors who also own slum properties. Remember that Jenny Wenson-Maier had only been "on the job" as head of Public Works for 5 months before she declared that the Safe Homes wasn't working and should end. 5 months. And the council said nothing. Spineless and indifferent.
Not everyone in a Connolly apartment is "poverty stricken." Still, due to circumstances, it might not be easy to just move. When I first moved to my apartment, I was looking for a place in a hurry as my previous landlord was selling the condo I rented for 8 years. I had two cats. I had a budget and didn't want a roommate situation.
One of my employees introduced me to Fred Tedesco who, despite the fact his apartments barred pets, offered me an apartment at a reasonable rate. The apartment and building weren't pristine. But there was a superintendent living right in the building who did daily maintenance and kept any problem issues with tenants in line.
There was a working elevator (I have knee issues and don't want first floor living), a working intercom system, a laundry room in the basement -- amenities which sold me on the place. My apartment has hardwood floors, large windows with wide windowsills. The neighbors in the building, for the most part, were a treasure -- mostly older and friendly. If I went to the office, Fred Tedesco himself could usually be found working there.
It's all changed with Connolly. No on-site super. Elevator hasn't worked since January. Intercom hasn't worked for a year. Laundry room access has been blocked. Many of the great neighbors have moved out and have been replaced with kids who have kids. While I enjoyed the cacophony while living in a college dorm, I don't so much as I get older.
I had a knee replacement last summer and the other one will be replaced this winter. With medical bills (even with health insurance) and a long rehab period ahead ... I can't move right now.
My building isn't the worst of the Connolly Properties. And, I do know my rights. I'm not ignorant of any rights I have as a tenant. I just want the elevator, intercom, and laundry room back. I want Connolly to get an on-site super here who not only keeps the building in daily maintenance, but clamps down on issues like children running up and down the hallways for hours screaming or the occasional vagrant.
Tedesco raised my rent $10 and sent a note of apology for the raise in my second year. My rent has gone up every year a substantial amount with Connolly. If he tries it this year, I will protest it as an unconscionable increase due to the lack of amenities which previously existed.
I find the assemblyman's comments that you quoted absolutely STUNNING: "It's unbelievable that we let this get out of hand."
As chairman of Housing and Local Government he takes a lot of political contributions from landlords and their lobbying organizations from across the state as well. He and the mayor and the council are the ones who let the situation "get out of hand" by repealing an ordinance which MAY have prevented some of these issues from becoming so egregious. You will note I said "may" have prevented some of the suffering. Of course when it comes to politicians and CYA, the responsibilities to residents and their children and our seniors go out the window.
To 4:12 pm,
I didn't vote for the mayor or the assemblyman, so I don't deserve what they're giving. I get your point though. Plainfield voters did not come out to vote for reasons of complacency or whatever, but many of us did vote for change. I voted for Mapp but we didn't win. Don't forget that 2,000+ people did NOT vote for her. Hopefully she sees how much support she lost from the first time she ran. Unfortunately she did win. I am an Obama Democrat but I will be voting for the republican, at least he's honest. He also cares and puts his money where his mouth is. He helped rebuild homes in New Orleans after Katrina and he does Habitat for Humanity. I have never seen the mayor do ANYTHING charitable for anyone except bring food and candy to political photo opportunities. When was the last time she did anything to help? Shes a fake and I for one don't deserve her incompetence and lack of concern.
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