"We're Being Ripped Off": Rahway Plaza Apartments Tenants Pack City Hall
Tenants describe broken elevators, inflated energy bills, and unsafe living conditions as city officials vow fines and oversight.
October 15, 2025
More than two dozen residents of the Rahway Plaza Apartments filled City Hall Monday night, demanding accountability for what they described as deteriorating conditions and unlawful hikes to rent and energy bills at the twin high-rise complex on Main Street.
Tenant after tenant stepped to the microphone to describe life inside 1171 and 1181 Main Street. They said broken elevators, ballooning energy bills, and shoddy repairs have become routine. About three dozen residents attended the meeting to call for action.
A common complaint was the size of their monthly electric bills, which appear as line items in rent statements issued by Denholtz Properties, the company that owns the property.
Residents said their energy charges have more than doubled this year, from less than $80 in January to around $200 over the summer, with no explanation from management. Several residents reported receiving no bill one month, followed by a massive bill the next. Others said they received credits after complaining, only to see an even higher bill later.
“We cannot afford this,” said Tekki Allen. “We think we’re being ripped off.”
Allen shared with The Central Jerseyan a rent bill dated Sept. 25, 2025, that includes a $210.79 utility charge for August. Evelyn Foreman, another resident, shared her rent bill for the same date, showing a $218.08 charge.
Councilman David Brown, whose ward includes the Rahway Plaza Apartments, said one challenge is that there is just one energy meter for the entire complex.
During the meeting, Brown urged residents to consider pooling funds to hire an attorney. “I hope it doesn’t come to that,” Foreman said in a phone interview on Wednesday.
Allen said she supports getting an attorney, especially if it allows residents to investigate the landlord’s billing practices.
Allen and other tenants also accused Denholtz of attempting to illegally raise rent by 11 percent in January. The company backed down, they said, after it was revealed that the increase violated the complex’s PILOT agreement with the city.
“That’s a lot of cajones,” Allen said Wednesday.
Tenants also lined up to complain about deteriorating building conditions, including elevators that have been broken for years. Foreman told city leaders that someone was actually stuck in an elevator at 1181 Main Street while the meeting was underway.
One resident said she and others once carried a 9/11 survivor up to her apartment on the 10th floor, drawing gasps from the audience.
“This is the first year I’ve lived here that I’ve considered moving out of Rahway,” said Isaiah Cruz, who described walking up 12 flights of stairs during elevator outages and dealing with what he called a “closed-door” building manager.
Other tenants spoke about unsafe or unsanitary conditions. Maria Villegas said hallways go unsecured, packages are stolen, and the parking lot is dark and littered. She expressed safety concerns for her adult daughters and other residents.
“We neighbors, we’re family. We stick together,” Villegas said.
Parents also voiced concern for their children’s safety, citing peeling paint near the pool and hazards in the playground area.
Denholtz Properties said it is taking residents’ concerns seriously.
“Denholtz has proudly managed Rahway Plaza for decades and remains deeply committed to ensuring a positive experience for every resident,” the company said in an emailed statement to The Central Jerseyan. “We will continue to work closely with residents to ensure concerns are resolved fairly and promptly.”
Several tenants urged Rahway’s leaders to enact a rent control ordinance.
Allen said she and her neighbors plan to attend every City Council meeting moving forward to echo their demands. She fears Denholtz will try to pass repair and upgrade costs onto residents in the form of steep rent hikes.
“If they have to revamp the whole electricity in the building, then they’re going to go for the jugular,” Allen said.
A street view of the Plaza Apartments in Rahway. (Google Maps)
Mayor Raymond Giacobbe acknowledged the severity of the complaints, saying he was furious about how residents at the Plaza Apartments are being treated and promised accountability.
His chief of staff, Robert Landolfi, told the crowd that the landlord is being fined until all elevators are repaired and said the city has ordered a written plan from the owner.
Landolfi added that the administration raised the electric billing issue with Denholtz, which agreed to conduct a “retrospective analysis” of past bills and reconcile any overpayments.
Council members voiced support and sympathy for the residents. Council Vice President Jeffrey Brooks called what he heard “abhorrent.”
“The fact that you have individuals who need to be carried upstairs — that’s something none of us ever want to hear,” Brooks said. “We hear you, we see you, and we’re going to address it. This is a top priority for us.”
Before the meeting adjourned, several council members thanked the Plaza Apartments Rahway residents for turning out in force and promised to continue investigating the complex’s management practices.
Allen said she felt comforted by the city’s response. “I do think they were surprised to hear about everything that’s going on over here,” she said.
Both Allen and Foreman said they were pleased by the turnout among neighbors but wished the situation had been addressed sooner.
“Even though I was happy to see the turnout,” Foreman said, “it’s disheartening to see that we’re all going through this.”