A Jersey City tenant is sounding the alarm at the living conditions at her rent-controlled building, highlighting that she hasn’t had a working stove in over three months, a damaged fire escape, and plumbing issues.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“We’re having issues that the landlord does not fix at all, does not do maintenance in the apartments and the harassment, the intimidation, every time you turn around to call them, the property manager and the landlord, and they refuse to fix anything in the apartment,” said 50-52 Martin Luther King Drive resident Maureen Rios.
“We know they selling the building and we get harassed by the buyers, the realtors and the lawyers are calling us and telling us that we need to move. When I tell them that we need to do it the legal way, they just shut off the phone on me so this is a continued thing.”
The building, which is owned by Manuel Marquez, was cited for 21 violations on June 17th, then again on December 12th, for not repairing fire escapes, mailboxes, and doors, as well as failing to fix broken windows and a skylight, according to notices of violation from the city.
Fines were issued on January 10th, but at least some of the issues are ongoing. Marquez did not return a text message seeking comment, while a city spokeswoman did not return an email seeking an update on the violations.
Additionally, a real estate listing shows the building listed as being up for sale for $2.2 million.
Rios also said she has filed various complaints with SeeClickFix, the Jersey City Police Department, and spoken during the public portion of two city council meetings, but the issues continue to linger.
“Other tenants in the building have maintenance problems that he refused to fix for them: They have walls that are cracked, they have leaks, ceilings that are cracked also, but they are afraid of him because when you report something, they start to harass you,” she added.
“Either calling you or have other people call you or don’t collect your rent, refuses your rent, and that’s what they continue to do. He rung my bell at like 3:23 in the morning intoxicated.”
Rios showed that filed a police report for that incident, but nothing ended up coming of it. Minutes before this story was published, she indicated that building management asked if she was available for her stove to be installed today.
Anti-Violence Coalition of Hudson County Executive Director Pam Johnson, also a Ward A council candidate who connected Rios and HCV about this matter, said the city needs to do better in responding to situations like this one.
“Holding slumlords accountable has been some of the work I’ve been doing for a long time because everyone deserves quality living conditions and the residents at 50-52 MLK are not receiving that,” she stated.
“I’m happy to see some movement in the courts to hold him accountable for dozens of violations but it should have happened sooner. Long term, we must do better at responding to the concerns of residents and I commit to continuing the fight for justice in order to bring relief to these families.”
I on Westside 59 clarke with no stove or electricity n the judge put me out n wouldn’t hear my case so I lost everything I wish back then 2hat to do land lords r horrible also had rent Money but hold it. I lost so much weight not eating right
Thank you for writing this story. This is why tenants need right to counsel.
I guess reed st owner of one of the buildings we should have brought that up to. The owners are out of hand. With making the living space so tiny and char so much..