‘Notorious’ Apartments In East Orange Enter Foreclosure: Advocates

EAST ORANGE, NJ — The frustration from tenants at 75 Prospect Street in East Orange continues to boil over – even as the beleaguered apartment building enters foreclosure.

“Yazmin G.”, whose full name was withheld for privacy reasons, is a good example of why Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) has moved to foreclose on the building, according to the Rutgers Law School Housing Justice and Tenant Solidarity Clinic.

Since mid-October, Yazmin – who lives on the 10th floor – hasn’t had enough water pressure to bathe or cook. And she’s not alone by a long shot, according to the clinic, which is representing a group of tenants at the embattled apartment building known as “The Castle.”

The clinic previously pointed out the case of Erica Coleman, who moved to the 44-unit apartment complex in 2017. Coleman said she has complained to building management about a persistent leak in her unit for years. Recently, she was hurt when a water-damaged ceiling in her apartment collapsed, hitting her on the head and sending her to the hospital with a concussion.

Meanwhile, Carla Evans’ quadriplegic son has been living outside the unit for years. His doctors have told Evans that they couldn’t recommend that he return home because of the mold in their apartment, she says.

“I asked the landlord to get rid of the mold,” Evans said. “I have offered to move to another floor. They won’t do anything. They just want us gone.”

The Rutgers clinic said that living conditions at 75 Prospect are giving the building a “notorious” reputation.

Tenants at the building have spoken on camera in the past about living conditions, as seen in a series of videos on YouTube channel InJusticeBrickCity.

“Unacceptable,” an onlooker declares in a video titled “75 Prospect made unlivable to chase out tenants.”

• See Related: Landlord Let Apartments 'Deteriorate' To Chase Out Tenants, Lawsuit Claims

In total, the 75 Prospect Street Tenant Association submitted evidence of more than 1,000 open code violations placed by the City of East Orange to the court after filing two lawsuits against the building owner in August.

But according to the clinic at Rutgers, there is some good news for tenants: the property is now in foreclosure.

On Monday, the clinic announced that Fannie Mae has moved to foreclose on 75 Prospect Street based on the owner’s failure to maintain the 44-unit rental building, as well as an alleged “unauthorized transfer in ownership.”

The clinic reported:

“Notably, Fannie Mae, which cited to its public mission to provide liquidity, stability, and affordability to the U.S. housing market, including the market for quality, affordable rental housing, did not allege that the Weiss Property Group-affiliated owner had missed a single mortgage payment. Fannie Mae has also requested that the court remove Weiss Property Group affiliates from control of the building, known as The Castle, and appoint a rent receiver to manage it. The historic building has a well-documented history of neglect by the Weiss Property Group affiliates, such as pervasive leaks, mold and dysfunctional elevators.”

In an update issued Thursday, the clinic said the court has appointed a receiver to manage the property, effective immediately (see documentation below or view it online here).

The receiver will be able to collect rents, dedicate rent proceeds to repairs and stabilize the property through the end of the foreclosure case. Weiss Property Group affiliates will no longer be permitted to enter the premises or collect rents, according to the clinic.

“I want to acknowledge the City of East Orange’s Code Enforcement team for all their efforts to ensure that each of the remaining 28 households living at The Castle will be able to remain in their homes,” pointed out Greg Baltz, co-director of the Housing Justice and Tenant Solidarity Clinic.

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