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Despite being sued to void its management contract for Liberty Village, the Housing Authority still uses it to illustrate its website. |
Multi-Housing News Online has published a story confirming the sale of Plainfield's Liberty Village to Tryko Partners of Brick (see story here).
This is the $9 million transaction that hinged on modifications to a 50-year PILOT agreement originally negotiated in the 1980s. Back in the Spring, a Council majority refused to put the PILOT on its agenda and remained adamant even as it was warned that residents would likely be put out in the street as a result of Council's intransigence.
Council President Bridget Rivers insisted the Council was being rushed (see my April post here), but as it turns out she had been aware of the potential sale and PILOT issues for over a year.
Things came to a head at a special meeting called by Mayor Adrian Mapp on May 5 (see my post here) specifically to address the PILOT matter. With the council chambers packed with angry residents from Liberty Village who had been roused to action by a flyer distributed by Councilor Rebecca Williams (who represents a portion of Liberty Village), the matter finally came to a vote.
After hearing from the angry and upset residents, Council voted unanimously to adopt the amended PILOT agreement.
Tryko Partners, the purchasers, agreed to a list of capital improvements, including sidewalks, exterior and interior repairs and improvements and renovating the community center -- all to be done within 24 months of the transfer of the property.
In the course of the controversy, it came to light that the Housing Authority of Plainfield had been contracted to manage Liberty Village and that the development had been severely neglected under its stewardship. So badly neglected that the owners had to take the Housing Authority to court to have the management contract voided.
The Housing Authority, which performed so poorly in this instance, iks now coming to the Council demanding the City give it the property known as Public Parking Lot #9 for development as affordable housing. More on that later.
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1 comments:
THE Housing Authority of Plainfield has not done a good job with anything they manage! The senior building on front st where their office is has not been kept up. The gathering room where they have meetings and events for the seniors has not been updated in years. I think the management of the housing authority needs to updated. OUT WITH THE OLD IN WITH THE NEW
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