By Lev D. Zilbermints
Slow repairs, vermin, no heat, hot water for weeks
Tenants at Garden Spires Apartments in Newark, New Jersey, are up in arms over what they say are patchwork repairs, no heat or hot water, and lots of vermin. This case was previously covered by nj.com in the October 18, 2021 issue of “The Star-Ledger.” “Local Talk” has unearthed new information that sheds new light on an old problem. This information has come through extensive interviews with Delores Black, the tenant association president; online research; and the original nj.com article.
According to ApartmentFinder.com, the building was built in 1963. Located at 175-199 1st Street, Newark, New Jersey, the property is managed by Reliant Realty Servicers, LLC. According to nj.com, Reliant is the property management company of Omni America, which is based in New York. Monthly rent at Garden Spires varies between $1,192 – $1,653 for one to three bedrooms. The size of these bedrooms is 801 – 1,241 square feet.
Lease terms are for twelve months. Expenses include utilities, such as gas, water, electricity, heat and trash removal. According to ApartmentFinder.com, laundry facilities, high-speed Internet access, heating, smoke-free areas, a security system, oven and refrigerator are all available at Garden Spires Apartments. No pets are allowed. The building is located next to the Orange Street light rail station and five minutes away from NJIT, Rutgers, and Essex County College.
The Garden Spires buildings underwent renovations that cost at least $172 million, nj.com reported in its October 18 article. As reported by nj.com, Omni America purchased Garden Spires from its controversial former owner, First King Properties, for $45.3 million in 2018. Extensive renovations, at Garden and Spruce Spires included new flooring, appliances, and fresh coats of paint, nj.com reported.
Ron Torossian, the Garden Spires spokesperson, told nj.com that the cost of renovation at Garden Spires was $57.8 million.
On November 9, at about 9:44 a.m., “Local Talk” contacted property management by phone. A woman answered. Asked if this was Garden Spires, she said yes. After a reporter identified himself and attempted to ask questions, the woman hung up.
According to Delores Black, President of the Garden Spires Tenants Association, “the problems started again after renovation [March 2020] because it was simply polished over and not completely renovated.”
Asked what completely renovated meant, Black said in an email that the job should be done properly.
“Repairs should be repaired. Old rusted and molded pipes should have been removed and not patched. Paint should have been scraped, smoothed and repainted. Mice holes should be covered instead of plugged with steel wool. Whatever is seeping from the walls should be scraped, plastered and painted. Parking should be available for all tenants as stated by management and not just occupied by management and staff.”
By way of example, Black pointed to the painting done at Garden Spires. “Paint [is] so thick it begins to peel after a year. There are/were holes in the walls because everything is just patchwork,” Black wrote to “Local Talk” in an email interview.
The Garden Spires Tenants Association president was adamant that the property management company, Reliant, owned by Omni America, based in New York, is not doing enough to address tenants’ complaints.
“Property management is rude and disrespectful, regularly hangs up,” Black told “Local Talk” in a phone interview on November 9.
“It is simply NY business owners here in NJ doing their business with no accountability and oversight.”
No heat nor hot water. Supermarket closed.
Black wrote in her email interview that “we [tenants] haven’t had heat nor hot water for weeks. By law, heat was supposed to be on October 15, 2021. We are barely notified of the heat, hot water, and sometimes no water at all. We are ONLY notified after complaining and the notices are never dated.”
According to the October 18 nj.com article, Garden Spires spokesman Ronn Torossian said that a plumbing issue was found inside Garden Spires’ walls that during a September inspection that “could not have been foreseen during the rehab process.”
“We have an estimated budget for repairs and maintenance at the property each year; however, we make all repairs as needed, regardless of any estimated operating budget. In 2021, due to the plumbing issue… and various other items we have addressed to include the increased expenses due to COVID-19, the property expenses have far exceeded the budget,” Torossian is reported as saying.
According to nj.com, Torossian said, “this was a significant and necessary repair that was in the best interests of the residents to prevent any further long-term issues.”
Torossian told nj.com that Garden Spires does not have control over the on-site supermarket because it is a commercial tenant.
Black told “Local Talk” that the “supermarket should be owned and operated by those in the community. The store would benefit greatly.”
As matters stand, “supermarket has been shut for weeks now,” Black wrote in her email. This is major problem for tenants because, as reported by nj.com, they have no way to get to stores. Nj.com reported that the supermarket was closed multiple times due to rodent infestation. It was closed when NJ Advance Media toured Garden Spires on September 30.
Inspectors do not see full picture
As reported by nj.com, Newark’s city code enforcers did an inspection in September. As reported by nj.com, as city spokeswoman said that the inspectors found violations that included roach and mice infestation, bathroom leaks, defective stoves and overloaded dumpsters, as well as defective entry doors and a number of units that needed to be repainted.
Black says that until all repairs are done properly things will stay the way they are.
“The same patchwork that happened in the beginning is the same patchwork happening 10/28/21 until inspection is complete. … We had inspectors come out but management controlled what units they went to. [This] is not fair because of course, management sent them to units where folks had no issues. Mainly Section 8 tenants.”
“The roach, mice infestations, bathroom leaks, defective stoves and overloaded dumpsters were also patch jobs,” Black wrote in her email response to “Local Talk’s” questions.
In a phone interview on November 9, Delores Black told “Local Talk” “Section 8 apartments are in better shape than rest of apartments.” Black feels this is because management knows that they have to abide by certain criteria for Section 8 tenants.
As cited by nj.com in its October 18 article, according to state Department of Community Affairs spokesperson Tammori Petty, “many tenants are still reluctant to let inspectors into their units due to COVID-19.”
When asked, Delores Black denied that tenants did not allow inspectors access because of COVID-19. Rather, it was a question of advance notice, the tenant association president said.
“COVID-19 is not to blame for tenants’ reluctance. With proper notice, tenants will allow entry into their units,” Black said.
Political Stalemate
As reported by nj.com, in 2017 Ron Rice, D-Essex and Jennifer Beck, D-Monmouth, introduced a bill that would cut off rental subsidies to landlords with significant code violations. The bill never made it to a vote of the New Jersey Legislature. Since then, no similar bills have been put forth.
On the city level, nj.com on October 18 reported that Newark mayor Ras Baraka would ultimately want subsidies to the city to be cut off if the company rises to the level of mismanagement. City spokeswoman Crystal Rosa told nj.com “The City is on top of this. Management, Councilmember LaMonica McIver, and code enforcement officers met with Omni… to discuss these issues and Omni has agreed to abate the violations. City Code Manager Thomas McDonald said the meeting was very positive.”
Black told “Local Talk” via email, “Councilwoman LaMonica McIver has been involved from the beginning. The city, allegedly “cannot do anything because we’re in litigation.”
According to nj.com, in 2017 Mayor Ras Baraka’s administration filed a lawsuit against the former owner, First King Properties, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which provides subsidies, over the uninhabitable conditions. As reported by nj.com, the lawsuit was dismissed, and federal officials previously said First King Properties agreed to pay $800,000.
According to nj.com, Olga Alvarez, the HUD spokeswoman, expressed confidence in Omni, despite complaints from some tenants.
“The new owner has been working to ensure that the units are decent, safe, and sanitary. Omni America is responsive and is addressing tenant concerns,” Olga Alvarez is reported by nj.com as saying.
Harassment of vocal tenants. Litigation
Delores Black, the Garden Spires Tenants president said that vocal residents who complained about problems were harassed.
“Yes, other vocal tenants are being harassed and threatened with eviction. Management have MRT put “Lease Violation” notices on the vocal tenants’ doors,” Black wrote in her email.
Asked about litigation, Black said that “there are several litigations going on with landlord tenant and criminal municipal court. They [Reliant and Omni] are represented by Sung Lo Yoon with Ehrlich, Petriello, Gudin, Plaza and Redd firm from 60 Park Place, Newark. They just hired them this year because the New York attorney they had was not registered in New Jersey. [This] means all of the settled and eviction cases from last year should be dismissed as my [case] was,” Black wrote in her email.
Black said that she filed a lawsuit about parking. “They [management] countered and I was banned from parking on the premises as a tenant with my 3-month-old baby girl. I sat in my truck with my baby during Hurricane Ida because security was told by management not to allow me on premises.
The other litigations are criminal with management Angeli Ross and Rachel Pichardo. Both filed charges after I filed harassment. One [charge] is for “terroristic threats” and the other I am not sure of”, Black wrote in her email.
Lastly, Black denied Ronn Torossian’s allegation, first reported in nj.com, that her rent was not paid.
“Also, my rent is paid in full to 1/1/22. I am not a menace just because I address issues. How childish of the spokesperson. How disrespectful of management to revoke the parking space and ban a tenant/mother who had just given birth by C-section.”
