FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Plainfield, NJ- A few days ago, Plainfield experienced by far the widest and worst publicity in all the years I have lived here. The Administration of Mayor Adrian O. Mapp condemned three apartment buildings, causing immediate eviction of about 400 people, mostly with just 24 hours’ notice. Reportedly, at least two more buildings are about to follow. The Mayor and his department heads deny even knowing that there were any problems there. The vast majority of these people are Hispanic, mostly “undocumented”, i.e., illegally present in this city and state, but working hard, and trying to be good residents.
Things having come to this point, I agree that these buildings needed to be evacuated. The full inspection reports are available on the State website, and they document precisely the same problems as the TV cameras showed us – everything from big holes in walls and ceilings, to doors that don’t close properly, broken windows, plumbing that doesn’t work, lack of smoke detectors, uncapped gas fixtures, and areas infested by sewage, vermin and mold.
The problem is that the officials say they did not know – well, did not realize – what was going on. The job of enforcing good maintenance, fire safety, structural integrity and general fitness for human habitation is divided between the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, which licenses multiple dwellings and inspects them every 5 years, and the City, which deals with the health, safety and fire codes that need to be obeyed all the time. Allegedly, the DCA found 235 violations in just the first building (701 West 7th Street), two years ago but didn’t send a copy of its report to the City. Maybe this is true, and maybe it is not, but it is just a convenient excuse, and not much of a defense.
The most convenient trigger for City action is that every time a building is sold, even between related investment groups, someone records a Deed with the County Clerk, and a copy of this Deed is sent to the local Tax Assessor, so that the tax records can be updated. If the Tax Assessor did not share this information with the Building, Inspections or Health Departments, or the Mayor, it is because he was never asked to do so, i.e., inadequate orientation given to a new City department head. Note also that a change in ownership of any property requires a Certificate of Compliance (often called a “C.O.”) from the City, and that can only be issued after a rigorous inspection. The inefficiency of the Division of Inspections is a long story that I will address some other time.
Apparently some of the awful conditions in these buildings are not even fully known yet, because the inspectors could not get access to many of the apartments. This is the result of the paranoia of residents who are afraid of authority figures, due to their illegal status. Therefore, I wish the Biden Administration would get its act together and initiate immigration reform, giving people like these a chance to become naturalized citizens who will no longer live in fear.
My suspicion is that none of these buildings will ever be inhabited again, because the cost of repairs will not be worth it to the “owners”. The rental apartment business, particularly at the low economic level involved here, is not profitable in this day and age. This is why they don’t put money into maintenance. I would not like to lose these rather handsome buildings, do (or could) fill a need in the local housing market. The “owners” are likely to go into both bankruptcy and foreclosure, to escape this black hole. In other words, those who want to be taken care of have no one from whom to seek it.
Out of 84 apartments, I found just 20 registered voters, of whom 15 have Spanish names. By population, I would expect at least 200. I guess they don’t vote for the Democratic Machine, and are therefore to be ignored. This Mayor, while not overtly racist, is no friend to anyone other than the Black community. How can you tell? The 2020 census showed that 65% of the population is either White, Hispanic, Asian, or “other race”, yet at the end of this year (when Councilman Sean McKenna steps down), they will have zero representation on the City Council. When this used to happen to Black communities, the civil rights lobby screamed bloody murder, until the Justice Department and Federal Courts brought about electoral reform. Since Mayor Mapp has also been Chairman of the Plainfield Democratic Committee for the last 8 years or so, and hand-picks all the candidates and appointments, I lay this calamity at his doorstep.
The Hispanic community, much of which is already registered as Republicans, should desert this Mayor and the Democratic party en masse. The TV cameras demonstrated last week how much regard he has for them.

WILLIAM H. MICHELSON, ESQ.
Plainfield
August 21, 2023