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Newly Blessed, Haven House Has Punch List Woes

affordable housing | 12 weeks 3 days ago | Comments 14

By Jack Fichter

Shower drain, one of the punch list items, at Haven House. Photo by Jack Fichter

TOWN BANK — Haven House, a low-income senior apartment complex on Townbank Road, constructed by Diocesan Housing Services Corporation of the Catholic Diocese of Camden, is plagued with a number of construction-related problems ranging from water leaks, broken air conditioning units to a trash compacting system that can not be used.

The complex, behind St. John-of-God Church, started accepting residents in April and celebrated its grand opening last month when Bishop Joseph Galante, of the Diocese of Camden, cut the ceremonial ribbon.

Among problems residents have experienced:

• Water leaks from shower stalls to apartments below.

• Trash compactor for building that is unusable.

• Baseboard heating units that won’t turn off and make “banging” noises.

• Air conditioning units in building’s common areas that do not work.

• Warped kitchen cabinet doors.

• Bumps and valleys in carpeting in resident’s units.

• Low-end appliances. No broiler pans with oven.

• Dying landscaping.

• Flimsy base under washers in laundry room.

While the building is bright and clean, the Herald noticed an overall look of sloppy construction such as seams in the center of vinyl kitchen floors and gaps in doorways.

Curtis Johnson, director of Diocesan Housing Services, told the Herald there was a punch list of items to be addressed by the project’s general contractor. He said the building was under a one-year warranty.

“We are not even close to final closing,” said Johnson.

He said the Diocesan Housing Corporation retains enough of the general contractor’s final payment to give that person an incentive to make corrections.

He said a list of items to be corrected was common on building projects.

“We do have issues and they get corrected,” said Johnson.

He said final payment to the general contractor is withheld until all is completed.

Johnson said he was not aware of kitchen appliances being “low end.” The appliances met Energy Star requirements, which tend to cost more, said Johnson.

“We are also held to the expenditures that the funders require,” he said. “You get the best that you can get.”

Issues such as uneven carpeting will be repaired, said Johnson.

“It’s going to be a good building,” he said.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development contributed $11 million to the project.

Commerce Bank in partnership with the Federal Home Loan Bank contributed $770,000.

Contact Fichter at (609) 886-8600 Ext 30 or at: jfichter@cmcherald.com

Print | Email Updated 12 weeks 3 days ago
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Comments (14)

We welcome your thoughts, stories and information related to this article.

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Thu, 09/04/2008 - 9:41am

check out article about affordable rules causing big problems

housinghttp://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/146/story/247605.html

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Tue, 08/26/2008 - 8:38pm

Auditors have been going over books at Victorian Towers (another Housing Services Corp property) last two weeks of August. Now they need to look at Haven House and catholic charities/Housing Services of camden and connect dots.

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Wed, 08/13/2008 - 7:18pm

Church accountant helps himself, it may be happening here.
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2007/10/zgoznik_guilty_on_all_counts.htm...

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Tue, 08/05/2008 - 4:14pm

http://menendez.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=286553

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Fri, 08/01/2008 - 10:53am

It has been brought to my attention that many at Haven House don't have internet. Office of Inspector General for HUD (whistle blower office) has a toll free number. 1 (800) 347-3735 and a fax number (202) 708-4829. Call today!

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Thu, 07/31/2008 - 11:30am

HUD Whistler blower link.
Don't take it, speak up!
http://www.hud.gov/offices/oig/hotline/

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Mon, 07/28/2008 - 8:47am

I wouldn't put my parents in that dive. Seems like a waste of our money to me.

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Sun, 07/27/2008 - 8:07am

The "New project manager" in charge of this mess has No construction experience AT ALL (resume is posted in Housing Services Corp documents). That person never worked in trades, never banged a nail, never installed a pipe, never pulled a wire. That person was recently promoted to Regional Development manager. ??????????????

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Fri, 07/25/2008 - 11:49am

AUDIT, AUDIT, IAUDIT books of Housing services corp and all properties run by Housing services corp. Things do not appear right. Make sure its a outside accounting firm that does the audit. HSC gets a great deal of money from HUD. Most of it section 202. Victorian Towers is a section 236 thru New Jersey Housing.

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Fri, 07/25/2008 - 11:41am

Speak with Tenants of Victorian Towers at 608 washington street Cape May NJ. This is another building run by the Housing Services Corp. Raw sewage backs into apts last 22 years, no one does anything about it. Mold problems, maintenance delayed year after year.

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Wed, 07/23/2008 - 11:33am

$11 million dollars is a lot to give a bishop who's already proved he can be bought off by a mere $400k. HUD really overpaid.

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Tue, 07/22/2008 - 6:17pm

The Housing services corp of the Camden Dioceses has no idea whats it doing. One of their complexs (Davenport Village) is sinking and entire complex must be torn down. . Stonegate (opened about one year ago) has alot of problems also. HUD should not give this corp any additional money.

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Thu, 07/17/2008 - 10:13am

What happens when there's a REAL fire somewhere else and someone's house is burned down because the fire dept was out on a false alarm at Haven House. They should be fined for all these false alarms. Sock them with a big fine - then maybe they'll spend some money to correct the problem.

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Wed, 07/16/2008 - 10:27am

How about the 19 fire alarms since the place first opened I hope there never is a real fire at that location the residents are so use to the alarm no one even pays attention to it.

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