Trenton needs to crack down on unscrupulous landlords
Fear, one of the most powerful human feelings on Earth, prevented a Guatemalan mother of three from answering her door yesterday morning.
Curtains were drawn on every window at 311 Elmer St. although smells of morning breakfast escaped into the fresh air. A knock at the door delivered no response. No doubt, mother battled fear after an unscrupulous landlord evicted this tenant, kicked her out in Wednesday evening’s rain along with all her possessions.
Trenton East Ward Councilman Joseph Harrison forwarded a photo taken of this family and my heart sank just thinking about this disheartening situation. No matter how this story shapes, this city has reached a despicable situation if no better option existed then such harsh treatment.
Imagine a scummy landlord who allegedly threatened deportation while kicking this family to the curb, stockpiling furniture, toys, clothing and an assortment of other household items before he rushed off.
Harrison phoned police. They allowed the woman back into the house while the new East Ward representative helped move most of their items inside.
We have reached a critical time in this capital city regarding our moral compass and these inhuman perpetrations being delivered by absentee slum landlords who prey on residents, many of their victims undocumented or struggling. If we stand for these emotional and psychological assaults then Trenton will never rise again.
A visit to the Latin American Legal Defense & Education Fund office on South Clinton Ave. delivered humanity as a young woman named Shelby eyed the family eviction photo. Shelby caught her breath, displaying the compassion always exhibited by LALDEF staff members.
No matter which side of the immigration question your mind sides, we must not allow these types of human indiscretions.
Just as time expired for publication, a third visit to Elmer St. produced an open door. The occupants spoke limited English but a phone call from Thelma Carrera, a LALDEF legal services employee, uncovered information.
The tenant alleged she owes the landlord no money. He supposedly grew tired of her complaints about the apartment which included numerous objections about roaches and bedbugs.
Carrera, who served as an interpreter, related that the landlord appeared with an assistant who helped remove all items from the home, plus, his threat that he would call police and ICE agents. LALDEF set up an appointment to meet with the woman late Friday.
Meanwhile, a phone number offered as a way to contact the landlord, did connect. Asked about the eviction, which apparently included no official documentation, the man said he owned property in Trenton but not at the Elmer St. residence. “Sorry, I think you have the wrong guy,” he said.
Imagine a phone number in the 908 area code that connects with a City of Trenton landlord but it’s not the guy that owns this property.
The time has arrived for City Council members and Mayor Reed Gusciora to address our city’s deplorable landlord situation. We must identify every rental property followed by an inspection of those residences.
If landlords rent houses that are not on the city books or if they rent properties without obtaining a certificate of occupancy (COO) then it’s time to put these people in jail. Landlords who break the law should know that we are coming for your pathetic, money-grubbing lives.
This first request for inspection involves the Lindo Apartments on Franklin St., a property toured by Councilman Harrison and me in early July. We discovered minimal lighting in hallways, trash stuffed into corners, even a large refrigerator partially set outside an apartment. Wires hung from ceiling tiles and we could not determine whether smoke alarms or emergency lights were operable.
Mayor Gusciora has promised a hire of more inspectors which will support this new initiative to identify every landlord doing business in the City of Trenton.
“There’s no way we can accept this from landlords. You can’t put a mother and her three children and all of their belongings out in the rain. It’s not going to happen,” Harrison said.
Landlords and the fear they deliver throughout this capital city should get ready for the fight of their lives.
L.A. Parker is a Trentonian columnist.