UNION CITY — Union City filed a lawsuit Monday in state Superior Court against Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf for alleged code violations in two apartment buildings he owns there, according to The Star-Ledger.
Rauf is the imam at the center of the controversy over plans to build an Islamic cultural center and mosque near Ground Zero in lower Manhattan.
The Ledger’s report says the lawsuit charges that Rauf hasn’t addressed complaints by tenants and orders from the city to correct code violations.
The suit identifies Rauf as sole officer of building owner Sage Development LLC. One building has been vacant since a 2008 fire. The other contains 16 apartments.
Last week Union City formed a Quality of Life Task Force to investigate and identify apartment buildings whose owners have not dealt with repeated complaints about code violations from tenants. The Hudson Reporter’s story on the task force can be read here.
And read our in depth report about Rauf’s role as a controversial landlord in Union City here.