A massive garbage/trash buildup with a rat infestation has become a significant issue for people living in a housing complex in Newark's Central Ward.
Many residents living at the Pilgrim Baptist Village located near the intersection of Bergen Street and 18th Avenue told RLS Media on August 18 that sanitation technicians hadn't picked up the trash in weeks, and the dumpsters were overflowing with garbage.
In a statement sent to RLS Media, the NJ Department of Community Affairs, which is affiliated with the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency says the following:
"The New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) provides financing to construct and rehabilitate affordable housing throughout the state.
Each development financed by the NJHMFA is required to hire a property management company to oversee the day-to-day operation of the development.
When NJHMFA became aware that trash was not being removed in a timely manner from Pilgrim Baptist Village Apartments, the Agency contacted the property management company, Hudson Valley Property Group, for an explanation.
The NJHMFA was informed by the property management group that:
- The trash was removed Friday, August 19
- The waste management vendor who failed to remove the trash was no longer being utilized
- A new trash removal vendor is in the process of being secured for Pilgrim Baptist Village Apartments.
Additional questions about the clean-up or the entity responsible for trash removal at the development should be directed to Hudson Valley Property Group."