Freeholder Cappelli issues statement in regard to issues

​The statement below is by Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli Jr. in regard to issues occurring at Crestbury Apartments.
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“The owners and managers of Crestbury apartments failed their residents, the city and the county in making basic necessities available for elementary living conditions in their 392-unit complex. Having seen the disgraceful state of the complex yesterday, it is clear that no one should have to live in these unacceptable conditions. Throughout this sprawling 18-acre area, a subsidiary of Lincoln Capital Investment LLC, the Camden County Health Department already has seven active court cases that are based on complaints from residents. Today, inspectors went through apartments, spoke with residents and issued seven more summons for substandard conditions.

We know that the company hastily remediated the trash situation this morning, that said, larger issues remain outstanding. I want to know how a company could fail to cobble together contingency plans for trash pickup, and continue to have ongoing maintenance issues, within buildings that it purchased for more than $34 million just two years ago. Worse yet, I want to know how a company could fail so spectacularly while paying the city nothing in taxes and receiving a guaranteed income from renter subsidies. This type of behavior will not stand, and we will ensure that residents are put first and that these New York City slumlords are held to the highest standards. In short, we will not tolerate this type of outlandish behavior by Wall Street billionaires and we will hold their feet to the fire to improve the quality of life for our residents.
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I would be remiss if I did not take a second to thank all of the reporters who came out to the Crestbury complex and chronicled the events surrounding this case. They have done a significant public service to the residents of Camden and for that the Freeholder Board is grateful.”