‘We’re living in a pigsty’: Morristown seniors vent to housing authority about conditions, and privatization

Jul 21, 2023

The Morristown Housing Authority got an earful on Monday from seniors who complained of filthy conditions, bugs, new windows that don’t open, and other health and safety concerns from ongoing renovations to their Early Street public housing, which has been privatized.

MHA Executive Director Keith Kinard pledged to press the corporation that now manages these facilities to address such “inexcusable” oversights.

Kinard also said the MHA and the developer are scrambling to find temporary lodging for families in Manahan Village as renovations unfold there.

And before any trees are felled for that project, the town arborist will be consulted, Kinard asserted. Seniors at 31 Early St. were stunned earlier this month when construction crews removed more than two dozen trees.

Edward Ahearn, a resident in that building, spoke of constant dust, fire escapes so dirty that seniors might trip on them, peeling “popcorn” ceilings, and rain leaking into the building.

“Basically, we’re living in a pigsty,” Ahearn said. “We deserve to live in a place that’s healthy and safe…We’re being made to live like animals there. We deserve to be treated with dignity, respect and love.”

George Towns, who has a respiratory condition, raised concerns about understaffed maintenance, poor ventilation and possible asbestos exposure. For six months, residents have been unable to open windows, he said.

“It’s been stressful for a lot of us…a lot of residents felt like nobody cared. We are never asked our opinions about anything,” said Towns, who wants a chemical analysis of dust from his air filter.

“I personally feel disrespected as a human being,” said Otis Davis.

Nine times he has asked for contractors to finish renovating a closet; it’s still not done, Davis said. He said his requests for an exterminator also have gone unmet. Insects have become maddening. “Today, those bugs attacked me!”

Kinard apologized to the seniors for their inconvenience, and vowed to follow up with the developer managing these properties.

“When I was there every day, I didn’t allow this to happen. I know it’s construction. But this is inexcusable,” Kinard said.

Mayor Tim Dougherty, who attended Monday’s meeting, promised a tour by town officials next month.

Morristown Green reached out to the developer, Orbach Affordable Housing Solutions LLC., and will update this story with any response.

MHA Commissioner Laura Lutz, appointed earlier this year, said the situation underscored why Orbach representatives should be required to attend monthly MHA meetings, to respond directly to residents.

Extensive renovations began last year to seniors buildings at 31 and 39 Early St. and 29 Ann St., and are just getting underway at public housing in Manahan Village. The buildings are being privatized to fund the work, under a complex federal program called RAD, short for Rental Assistance Demonstration.

The MHA expects to reap about $30 million from the sale of the buildings to Orbach; so far $13.2 million has been received, Kinard said.

When the sales are completed, the authority still anticipates retaining some oversight: It controls Section 8 rent payments to Orbach from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Orbach and the MHA have their hands full right now at Manahan Village, where renovations face a daunting obstacle: A lack of nearby hotels willing or able to house families for several weeks.

“Hotels are either unwilling to accept us, or families don’t want to go out that far” from Morristown, Kinard said.

With the new school year fast approaching, Kinard said contractors are weighing how to relocate families onsite while their apartments receive new roofs, windows, central air conditioning and other amenities.

Seniors from Early and Ann streets were moved to hotels while their apartments were upgraded.

Nearly all the seniors are back, but construction at 31 Early continues in common areas and in units for disabled residents. Those units are cordoned off because renovations require poking holes into walls that might contain asbestos, Kinard said.

MHA meetings usually are sparsely attended, but the tree issue drew a small crowd.

“It was overwhelming for some of the seniors who were there watching in real time” as the trees were chopped down at 31 Early, Councilwoman Tawanna Cotten told the housing commissioners.

Council President Sandi Mayer, Shade Tree Commission Chairperson Kristin Ace and fellow Commission member R.J. Bell, and Linda Stamato, a trustee of the Morristown Parking Authority and the Morristown & Township Library, also sat in the audience.

As many as 28 trees were removed, according to Kinard. He said some posed a hazard — eight or nine times, branches damaged parked cars, he said, and roots stretched inside a retaining wall. Plans for the removals were included in presentations to residents prior to the building renovations, Kinard said.

Ace predicted the tree loss will exacerbate flooding. Although the Shade Tree Commission’s purview is limited to public property, she urged the MHA to reach out for advice on ways to spare trees, and on what species to re-plant.

“I didn’t remove trees. The contractor had trees removed,” Kinard said. But going forward, he said the developer will consult with the town arborist before removing more trees.

Mayor Dougherty said he has instructed the town’s construction office to notify the arborist regarding any permit applications that involve tree removals.

In other business, the MHA voted to submit its budget for HUD review. It’s very late–this fiscal year is nearly over–and there is a shortfall of between $2 million and $4 million. Kinard, citing complications with HUD funding and privatization, could not give a precise figure.

Which is why the MHA needs to ramp up its committees and seek outside experts as advisers, suggested Councilman Robert Iannaccone, council liaison to the housing authority.

“Finance and auditing is complicated,” Iannaccone said.

Lutz, who abstained on the budget vote, had strong words for her fellow housing commissioners. She said they said ignored her requests to participate via Zoom in a recent board retreat.

“In the future, don’t ghost me…I don’t appreciate that,” she said, terming her treatment “appalling.”

The authority got kudos from Vanessa Brown, president of the Morris chapter of the NAACP and a realtor, for administering the federal Family Self-Sufficiency Program. Brown said it enables public housing residents to create savings they can apply towards buying a home.

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