The Forest Hill Towers, where tenants had to endure 24 hours without water or sewer service because their landlord owed nearly $400,000 in back utility bills, has had a history of ongoing issues

In February 2022, inspectors from the New Jersey Division of Community Affairs visited the property and issued more than 300 violations. Among them: repairs needed to everything from walls to ceilings and plumbing fixtures. There were dozens of violations for a lack of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors alone.

Those violations - and most of that unpaid water bill that led the city to temporarily cut off service – predate the building’s current owner, FHTDD, L.P., which took over the building last year from the previous owner, Forest Hill Towers LLC.

It’s unclear if the new owners are affiliated with the old ones – a Newark City official tells Kane In Your Corner the city restored power after the current property owners agreed to a repayment plan. The officials says the city has had trouble in the past with landlords, especially those who owe a lot of money, moving properties from one company to another. Because of the opacity of business records, which often only require companies to provide the name of a registered agent, he said the city could not say if that was the case this time.

Kane In Your Corner was unable to reach either the owner or management company for comment,

If you live in an apartment building and feel like there are housing violations, you can contact the New Jersey Bureau of Housing Inspections at (609) 633-6227 or BHIInspections@dca.nj.gov.