Give Them an Inch They Want a Yard
Monday, September 22, 2008
Bill’s
Point of View:
Gloucester City:Have you ever notice with some people if you give
them an inch they want a yard. Take for example the few hostile tenants at
Chatham Square Apartments,
Gloucester City.
Just last week there was a photo of one these
individuals leaning out his apartment window with a sign vilifying a City
Councilman on the front page of the Courier Post . He along with some other tenants complain the City, who purchased
the 100 apartments four months ago, are
taking too long to make needed repairs to their living quarters.
I never heard a peep out of the tenants at Chatham
Square prior to the City purchasing the property. Yet it is common knowledge
the previous owner was cited by the municipal court several times over the
course of 10 years for housing code violations.
Although there has been no figures released by the
City it is possible the repairs to the apartments will cost taxpayers (you and
I) $100,000 or more. Then there is the
cost for the maintenance man and the managing firm hired to oversee the
property. Add those numbers to the $4.1 million that has already been spent to
purchase the property; and you have to wonder if the City fathers made the
right decision to buy this broken down compound.
In several cases some tenants have now decided to protest further by withholding rent until the conditions are fixed.
That is just wonderful.
Thanks Chatham tenants for being such great neighbors. It is obvious you could care less about the taxpayers/residents of Gloucester City who have footed your free ride and given you a roof over your head.
What thanks do we get from you, none! You continue to make a mockery of our community and city leaders with you unproven allegations and lies. That $4 million should have been used to lower our taxes instead of being spent on unappreciative people like yourselves.
But wait, says City Solicitor John Kearney.
After doing an audit the Solicitor alleges that many
of these same individuals have been living in the apartments for free.
Thirty-two of the tenants have been asked to produce some sort of payment record.
And to show proof that they paid a security deposit. Kearney said so far none have come forward. A
court hearing on the matter is scheduled in October.
To the malcontents of Chatham Square: If the
living conditions are as bad as you say they are then here is a
suggestion. MOVE! The solution to your problem is that simple.
You won’t hurt my feelings!
And I guarantee you I could find a good number of residents
in my community of Gloucester City who would agree with me.
Bye! Bye! Adios! So Long! Hate to see go! Just Leave!
Author: Bill Cleary
Related: Guardian Angels Arrive at Chatham Square