Residents of Georgia King Village, an affordable housing complex in Newark’s West Ward, say living conditions there are deplorable, with mold, rats and other problems that haven’t been addressed despite their complaints. The issue has landed the complex owner, L+M Management, in court. And in court on Tuesday, the judge gave the company one month to clean up its act and the homes of those who say they’ve been forced to live in squalor.
Gee Cureton has lived at Georgia King Village in Newark for 30 years; she says the last seven years under L+M Development’s ownership have produced persistent problems. “They don’t deserve any extra time at all. I really think the extension was another slap in the face of every Black and brown person,” she said.
A big point of contention is how many of the issues at Georgia King Village have been abated. Lawyers for the city argue that number is about 50%, while L+M argues it closer to 90%. People who live in Georgia King Village say neither of those numbers sound close to the truth.
In response to a request for comment, a spokesperson from L+ M said in a statement: “Our on-site management team has been working tirelessly to resolve any outstanding issues at Georgia King Village and to date has completed work to address all violations at [96% of the originally identified apartment units]. We are committed to providing our residents with the high-quality affordable housing they deserve both now and in the future.”
The next court date is scheduled for April 26, when L+M and the city of Newark meet for a scheduling conference.
