CNBNews

By Albert J.Countryman Jr.

  Gloucester City officials met with members of the Chatham Square Tenants Association last week to discuss chronic maintenance problems and safety issues at the apartments, which had been purchased by Gloucester City this April.

  Mayor William James, City Councilmen Bruce Parry, Jay Brophy, Nick Marchese and John Hutchinson, and William Daly, president of Community Investment Strategy (CIS) Management, discussed many issues with some 35 tenants.

  The Association was formed six weeks ago because of difficulties in getting CIS to do maintenance work at the apartment. CIS was hired by Gloucester City to manage the eight buildings.

  "Chatham Square has 100 total units, of which 44 are occupied and in need of serious repair," said Anthony Parisi, founder of the Association.

  Mayor James and Daly said that due to the problems at the complex, new maintenance staff and a new manager will be hired.

  "We now have hope and light that things will change," Parisi said.

  Problems that were brought up included no electricity, no working washers and dryers, leaking propane tanks (which have been corrected), no leases, no record of security deposits, and no Certificate of Occupancies for any of the units, he said.

  "The Chatham Square residents finally feel as though they are being listened to, and appreciated the City officials attending the meeting," Parisi said, which was outside the manager's office.

  The mayor said the existing tenants will be consolidated into three best structural buildings on the complex.

  The City's short term plan is to renovate the units where the families will live. Future plans are uncertain.

Source Gloucester City News