In an editorial on Plainfield's tribulations with its largest landlord, Connolly Properties, the Courier News is too kind to Assemblyman Jerry Green and Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs, whom it portrays as the victims of bureacratic red tape (see editorial here).
Wrong on two counts.
First, one has to wonder if Assemblyman Green did all he could do as expeditiously as he could.
The elevator broke down in February. The residents protested to officials in April. It is now mid-June.
Elevators are inspected by the state, through the Dept. of Community Affairs. Assemblyman Green has intimate connections with the department as he chairs the Assembly committee charged with oversight of the DCA. One would expect that when the Assemblyman calls the DCA and asks them to jump, the response is 'How high, sir?'. But we have no indication that the Assemblyman used his clout to get someone over here pronto and on the case.
Secondly, the editorial writer forgets that back in the early months of her administration, Mayor Robinson-Briggs dismantled the 'Safe Homes' initiative which was designed to address just such problems as this.
Although at the time, the media, the administration and the Council focused on the efforts of the program to combat overcrowding (known as 'stacking') by absentee landlords, the program called for ANNUAL CITY INSPECTION of multi-family residences (the state only inspects them every five years) to ensure proper conditions for tenants.
The 'Safe Homes' ordinance was rescinded by the City Council in May, 2006 (the story was reported by the Courier May 5, 2006).
Not only would the Pingry Arms have seen at least TWO INSPECTIONS by the city in the intervening period, the educational outreach to tenants envisioned in the original program would have armed them with some knowledge and an official pathway for redress of issues in their building or with the landlord.
As I pointed out at the time, Mayor Robinson-Briggs simply caved to pressure from owners of large rental properties who were unhappy with the requirements the ordinance imposed on them.
The broken elevator at the Pingry Arms is just one example of the results of the failure of Robinson-Briggs to boldly lead for the betterment of Plainfield.
Now we can look forward to another four years of this kind of 'leadership'.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Courier too kind to Green, city over Connolly elevator flap
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5 comments:
Yes, one would think that Assemblyman Green, as Chair of Housing and Local Government (for a number of years now!) would have done something about this. For a man who brags SO MUCH about his POWER and CONNECTIONS, this continues to ILLUSTRATE the truth of his lack of juice anywhere at the state level.
The dismantling of the Safe Homes Initiative was a disgrace and the councilors who voted in favor of its dismantling should be tarred and feathered. Do you know how they voted? How can I find out?
Why would we need to look forward to 4 more years of Sharon??? there are other options.....I'd rather have a Repub or Independent than Sharon. Plainfield cannot afford 4 more years of her.
Only in Plfd can you own property and not worry about maintaining it. Every other town in the area holds landlords responsible, but not Plfd. The money that could be made if they only enforced the rules that are already in place. Other towns give you a warning, If you dont repair, they take you to court. What do they think?? The slumlords will leave if we fine them? Its not like they have somewhere else to go. They own the property. If they dont like it they can maintain the property or sell it to someone who will. It does not take 6 months to fix an elevator.
A check of city council minutes would show whose initiative it was to repeal the safe homes ordinance. I believe it was the late Ray Blanco. I know it's fun for some people to blame JG and/or SRB for everything that goes wrong anywhere and I'm surprised nobody has tried to pin 9/11 on either of them--yet.
No one blamed this on Green or the mayor although it was done at their behest. Too bad Blanco isn't around to acknowledge it. Burney wanted it repealed as well and voted for it along with Carter and Van Blake and Don Davis who was really against it. How many of the councilers who voted against it in 2006 owned mutlifamily homes and made money in real estate?
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