Plainfield, NJ residents forced out of homes after buildings condemned

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Tenants suddenly evicted from condemned buildings

FOX 5 NY's Christine Russo reports.

Families at 501-515 W7th Street in Plainfield, New Jersey tell Fox 5 they don't know where they will go now after their building was condemned for being "unfit for human habitation", with no warning.

They were given just 24 hours to pack up and move out. A father with two young children tells Fox 5 he just paid the rent this month and has no idea if he'll even get his deposit back. Another single mom here says they have no time to save up for a move, which can often cost thousands of dollars.

The owners of the complex have six other buildings and four of them have been condemned. 

Plainfield, NJ building owners under fire as evicted families face desperation

Dozens of Plainfield residents have nowhere to live after being given 24 hours to leave their apartments.

The city inspectors say they found things like mold stains, holes in ceilings, and uncapped gas conductors. The Mayor also says there was a deafening pipe in the basement with no cap, which was leaking onto the floor. He called the owner's money hungry and neglectful. 

Plainfield School District teamed up with the Mayor's office to distribute meals all day Thursday. There are at least 80 children living in the complex who attend Plainfield Schools. Aside from finding a place to live, parents say they are also now concerned they'll have to move out of the district.