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CNB September 2008 Archives: Gloucester City Fixing Housing Code Violations at Chatham Square

Monday, September 15, 2008

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Chatham Square Apartments Section B
(CNBNews file photo 2008)

 

By William E. Cleary Sr.

The City of Gloucester City is moving forward with the repairs needed at the Chatham Square Apartments. The City purchased the 100 apartment complex, Route 130 and Klemm Avenue several months ago for $4.1 million.

Constructed in the late 1960’s by a local builder it was originally named the Reading Manor Apartments. The red-brick buildings were attractive, the lawns and landscape were well kept and there was also an Olympic size swimming pool for the tenants to use. The interior of the one and two bedroom apartments included wall to wall carpets, air conditioning, new appliances and modern day kitchen and bathroom fixtures. It was a welcome addition to the City’s housing stock. Newly-weds and senior citizens made up the majority of the tenants living there.

But in recent years the property has spiraled downward. In 2006 the Gloucester City Housing Department cited the owners, of what was now known as the Chatham Square Apartments, for violation of various housing problems. Those included the conditions of common areas, failure to obtain certificates of occupancy, interior life hazard issues and code enforcement violations, to name a few.

In a decision dated October 24, 2006 the Municipal Court fined the owners $96,000, plus $17,000 per day until the numerous housing violations was corrected.

Today as you approach the entrance to the apartments driving in from Route 130, one of the first things you notice is the corner of a damaged apartment building. The fire at apartments 19 and 20 occurred in February 2008. They remain vacant with boarded up windows in front and back. The gutters are damaged; bricks are missing from the façade. A torn blue plastic tarp flaps in the wind hanging precariously over the hole in the front of the building.

Councilman Nick Marchese said the City is waiting for the insurance claim for the damaged apartment to be paid before proceeding with repairing this building.

Gloucester City Mayor Bill James told Philadelphia Inquirerreporter Edward Colimore ( September 12, 2008) "It was a fantastic place to live 30 years ago, but the problems there got more and more serious. In the last 10 years, the place went right down the tubes. It was placing a strain on the police and fire departments, school system and other services."

James said the city is "trying to take care of the health and safety issues first, so everyone's quality of life improves."

The city is also going through financial records to determine if those in the 41 occupied Chatham Square units are legitimate tenants. Thirty-two residents were sent eviction notices this week for nonpayment of their rent or security deposits, said John Kearney, the city's attorney. Court hearings will be held next month.

Kearney said when the City took over they found the building’s booking system was a mess. And the Chatham Square's management company has struggled to make sense of the records. Tenants are being asked to produce proof of their rent payments. And in some cases show proof that they made a security deposit.

 Mayor James said plans call for residents, now scattered across eight buildings, to move into three rehabbed buildings by Dec. 1. The city will refurbish the vacant rental units later. It also has hired landscaping and trash-disposal services.

Philadelphia Inquirer (September 12, 2008) "There hadn't been any maintenance here in 20 years," said John Zelinski, maintenance manager at the site, as he toured the complex with a contractor who will upgrade the laundry rooms with new appliances.

"It's like Christmas for the residents when I come to visit," said Zelinski, who has been installing new smoke detectors. Residents pay monthly rent of about $600 to $800.

In December 2007 council passed a resolution to enter into an agreement with the owners to purchase the property. At the time Councilman Marchese said the apartments would be demolished and single family homes would be built. Both he and Mayor James said then that this idea is in the early planning stages.

Now that the City owns the property the long range plans for the complex is uncertain. Somewhere down the line it could eventually be sold for commercial development or as a site for single family homes. As for now the mayor has said repeatedly the City’s short term plan is to renovate the units and make them livable for the residents that are living there now.

Related: Chatham Square

Posted by CNBNewsnet on Monday, September 15, 2008 at 11:40 AM in City of Gloucester City, Gloucester City NEWS | Permalink

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Comments

1

said...

This article says the Chatham Square record keeping system was a mess. How about our City Clerk's record keeping system of storing information in piles in every corner of every office. Isn't that a mess in this day and age?

ReplyMonday, September 15, 2008 at 12:07 PM

2

Chatham Square Apartment 212 said...

Hey, do us, and do Gloucester a favor and just tear us all down. We are more of an eyesore than the two dirty book stores down the road.

We arent doing anything but filling your schools with problem children, and we can just to Lindenwold like everyone from Camden does. There's plenty of housing for us in Lindenwold.

ReplyMonday, September 15, 2008 at 12:13 PM

3

Goldendoodle said...

This is absolutely the worst thing I have ever seen his city do! And I don't mean by buying them. That was a great idea but we should be knocking it down and selling it to a redeveloper down the road. Not trying to rehab these buildings! Its going to cost the taxpayers a fortune!

ReplyMonday, September 15, 2008 at 12:59 PM

4

Tear'em down said...

Let's just tear them down. It's throwing god money after bad to attempt to rehabilitate the place. The taxpayers will support you. We have too many rental units already. Get rid of this ghetto.

ReplyMonday, September 15, 2008 at 04:00 PM

5

said...

TEAR THEM DOWN ... REHABBING THIS DUMP IS A HORRIBLE IDEA !!

ReplyTuesday, September 16, 2008 at 10:37 AM

6

Marcia Atkinson said...

I'm sorry to say that this all falls back on the city. Our officials (especially the Housing Officials), allowed these apartments to get this bad. These conditions didn't just happen. It has taken many years for conditions to be so bad there. I think the city made a mistake and should have condemned the apartment complex and tore it down. Don't throw more money away. The city needs it in other places.

ReplyTuesday, September 16, 2008 at 03:38 PM

7

said...

Thank you Mayor James and Councimen Marchese and Brophy for doing something. This was a problem that they inherrited and at least they are not sitting on there hands like the previous leaders of our city.

ReplyTuesday, September 16, 2008 at 06:31 PM

8

said...

Marcia
You are absolutely right. Tear them down and replace the leadership that allowed these conditions to grow without effectively controlling them. If the current administration wants to walk in the footprints of the Kain-Gorman leadership we will never be free of their never ending downward spiral.

The Gloucester City Housing Department has never been capable of adequately maintaining the single homes they were responsible for. Once again a leadership problem.

Mr Mayor, no matter how much time you put into this project personally it can't change the final outcome. You are working with the same old slugs that the old dems loved so much.

Show the wisdom to cut our losses. Tear them down.

ReplyTuesday, September 16, 2008 at 06:45 PM

9

Raze'm said...

Tear them down. Our Housing Department are the people who let them to deteriorate to this extent in the first place. No one wants them. It was a sound investment to buy the dump just to get rid of it (since no one but lowlifes would live in such a place). Every time we can buy a substandard, inadequate building and tear it down, we have done the future citizens of Gloucester a favor. The old time Dems like Bobby Gorman never had the guts to do anything. Show some leadership, will you please.

ReplyTuesday, September 16, 2008 at 08:01 PM

10

Dump The Dump Now! said...

In order for the City of Gloucester to continue to be qualified for ABBOTT funds, UEZ monies, Section 8 Housing and Free Breakfast/Lunch school programs blighted apartments such as those at Chatham Square must remain in the community. Any casual observer will tell you Chatham Square is not the only blight. Check out what remains of the homes in north Gloucester City if you need further proof.

Camden City is another good example of the Democrat Socialist ideology that is being used in the city of Gloucester. The same thing that happened to that once proud community has slowly moved to Gloucester City. Think of Fairview back in the 60's nice community. Today anyone in their right mind wont drive through Fairview at night for fear of being shot.

Here is another thought to ponder

The previous owner of Chatham was taken to court in 2006 by the City according to the article:

"In a decision dated October 24, 2006 the Municipal Court fined the owners $96,000, plus $17,000 per day until the numerous housing violations was corrected"

It is also apparent from reading the article that two years later the housing code violations still exist. According to the article only 25 percent of the apartments are livable and even those have major problems.

The fines levied by the municipal court for just one year total $6.2 million (365 x $17,000=$6,205,000). Instead of condemning the property for these violations our Great Leaders who promised to demolish the apartments in Dec. 2007 paid the previous owner $4.1 million to purchase this decayed property. And we have yet to learn how much it will cost to make the repairs, how much it is costing to hire the maintenance man, how much it is costing to hire the management firm.

All of this money being spent on 38 families. Plus the records from the previous landlord are missing the City doesn't even know who has paid their rent/security deposit. This is just plain stupidity. Who the hell arranged this deal Paul Kain?

Why? Go back and read my my first paragraph.

The people of this City better wake up and get involved in their government. The community still has a chance if those in power are taken to task. Make them live up to their promise.

Dump the Dump Now

ReplyTuesday, September 16, 2008 at 08:05 PM

11

said...

Mr. Mayor,
Dump the dump now and Marcia make strong points that should be acted upon. I would like to add one more point to the mix. Put a question on the ballot to change our form of government to one that allows the citizens to decide major money issues instead of the Democrat Club. They have not made a good/positive decision for the citizens of Gloucester City in thirty years.

You could lead this city just as well under a new form of government that allows the citizens to have a voice and practice democracy. The Democrat Club under the Gorman regime made a mockery of DEMOCRACY.

Wm. T.

ReplyTuesday, September 16, 2008 at 11:46 PM

12

Rehab the Apartments said...

I think that the Mayor & Council is doing the right thing, pour as much money into these Apartments as possible, after all we trust them. Just because Nick is rumored to have his Inlaw's Managing the Apts. now, and that Nick's Friends/Business Associates are being named as Developers on other major projects.

NJ has the Highest Property Taxes in the Nation, and Gloucester City's Taxes aren't as high as Haddon Heights so let them spend a few more MILLIONS Polishing these shacks in Gloucester, we may not look like Haddonfield, but we can show those rich bastards that we too can pay outrageous Property Taxes too. Just wait until they finish purchasing, more money pits like boats, enlarging the Housing Authority, Fire Dept. I guess when James & Company is done with Gloucester they'll just move to Moorestown with Gorman to spend the extra cash that Gloucester City Taxpayers don't care about where the hell it goes.

**Amended Tax Bills Are Coming Soon, Bigger & Bigger than Ever! Pay or Move!

ReplyWednesday, September 17, 2008 at 08:11 AM

13

a&k meat market said...

It is a shame what has happened to this apartment complex.I use to live there and met my boyfriend and husband there.

ReplyWednesday, September 17, 2008 at 08:48 AM

14

joe said...

Wm. T......why wait for mayor and council to look into changing the form of government. It can be put in motion by a resident via a petition.You would have to find out how many signatures you would need to obtain in a certain time period to have the question be put on the ballot. Your clerk would have these answers.

ReplyWednesday, September 17, 2008 at 05:19 PM

15

Sam said...

Joe, are you from Gloucester. Our clerk is Paul Kain who last time I checked cant do his job so who would you say we contact. Im serious thank you.

ReplyWednesday, September 17, 2008 at 06:43 PM

16

joe said...

Check with county officials or any town clerk.

ReplyWednesday, September 17, 2008 at 08:24 PM

17

Upgrade Jackson said...

Please dont tear Chatham Square down. I love it here! It rains crack! Our children run the streets robbing and beating each other in a playful matter. And the first of the month is like Christmas I tell you!

ReplyThursday, September 18, 2008 at 08:18 AM

18

said...

THE COURIER HAS A GREAT ARTICLE TODAY REGARDING THESE NASTY APARTMENTS. WOW I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW BAD THEY ARE TRYING TO MAKE THE CITY LOOK.
KNOCK THEM DOWN.......................

ReplyThursday, September 18, 2008 at 01:54 PM

19

Rocky the Butcher said...

It's really a shame to see what happened to these apartments! I can remember what they look like when they first opened! Heck, I even met my Girlfriend and her husband there!

ReplySaturday, September 20, 2008 at 10:28 AM

20

said...

did anyone see the report on fox news today - the guard. angels came to the complex to 'protect' the residents!! bulldoze em and stop embarrassing our city

ReplyMonday, September 22, 2008 at 02:01 PM

21

Al Sharpton said...

Please dont tear down Chatham Square. We love it here. We tell all our relatives how great it is and that they should move here too! They all have 7 to 9 kids too! Free breakfast,Lunch and Dinner at your schools and we can drop them off early and pick them up late after our TV shows are over. We get free rent and the kids can just walk over to the Highland park section and take other kids bikes anytime. If we are short on cash we just go to Chestnut St and walk into peoples homes to take money and valuables.

ReplyMonday, September 22, 2008 at 09:07 PM

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