Tenants at Pilgrim Baptist Village tell council of mold, leaks and alleged abuse; demand independent review

Tenants and representatives from Pilgrim Baptist Village in Newark’s Central Ward told the council on Oct. 1 they face long-running, dangerous housing conditions and alleged misconduct by building management and security staff. They urged independent oversight and public access to unaltered enforcement records.

What tenants described

Leticia Davis, secretary of the Pilgrim Tenant Association, said residents live with "collapse in ceilings, sewage leaks, chronic water damage, molds spreading across our walls, and rodent infestations that threaten our health." Davis said inspectors directed by the mayor visited and documented violations but those records later disappeared from the public file. "This is not oversight. This is a cover up," she said, and called for "independent oversight into code enforcement's handling of Pilgrim Baptist Village" and a full public record of violations from 2019 to the present.

Allegations and requests

Tenants accused management and on-site security of intimidation, physical confrontations, theft and interference with code enforcement. Speakers asked the council for three remedies: independent review of code enforcement handling, release of unaltered public records of violations, and accountability for management and security misconduct.

Council response and next steps

Council members said they would attend tenant association meetings and follow up. Councilwoman Scott Rountree said she would pursue test scheduling and meetings with tenants and management to ensure the tenants' concerns are addressed.

Ending

Tenants left the council with a formal request for an independent review and a public meeting invitation; council members committed to follow-up conversations with tenants and with the administration to track enforcement records and corrective action.