Tenants and advocates urge council to withhold new abatements until outstanding conditions at New Community properties are fixed

During public comment on May 20, tenants and advocates urged the council to pause or scrutinize new tax abatements awarded to developers that already own properties in Newark, citing complaints about living conditions at several New Community Corporation buildings.

Speakers said tenant complaints at buildings managed by New Community had not been fully resolved and urged the council to require remediation before granting additional abatements.

George Tillman Jr., who provided council members a copy of a May 14 tax abatement committee agenda, said he had coordinated tenant participation from multiple New Community buildings and that tenants testified to “deplorable conditions” at properties including buildings on Morris Avenue. Tillman and tenants asked the council not to approve new abatements for New Community or related developers until current maintenance and habitability complaints are addressed. He said he had emailed council members a list of abatements and tenant complaints and urged continued oversight of the abatement process. Councilwoman Scott Rountree responded that prior complaints had been tracked and that council offices have been following up; she said many earlier problems had been abated but that recently raised issues would be pursued with management and followed up ‘‘almost on a daily basis.’’

The council did not take immediate action on the pleadings during the pre‑meeting; council members and staff said they would follow up with the tenant association and the property manager to ensure unresolved issues are addressed before future abatement actions proceed.