New gun policy inside Newark luxury loft has tenants up in arms
NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) -- Just steps away from the Prudential Center in Newark, inside a high-rise full of luxury lofts on Columbia Street, a small notice barring guns inside the property recently triggered a huge response from tenants.
"When I saw that letter, I just thought, wow, that's kind of an invasion of people's privacy," said Vu-An Foster, who has lived in the apartment building for several years. "Like, how do they know? Are they going in people's apartments looking for guns? Like, where did that come about?"
Foster and others say the new firearms policy was implemented without any cause or warning. A small paper notice suddenly appeared in the elevator just a few days ago, warning that violators will face eviction.
"Usually they warn us if something is going on," Foster said. "I didn't hear of any safety issues or anybody having guns, so I'm not really sure where that came from."
However, some other tenants say they don't mind the new rule.
"If the guns are legal, I'm OK with that," tenant Breton Dalton said. "But if it's illegal, then I think management has a right to say something about it."
"I don't have no problem with it," tenant Bruce McCray added. "If people feel like they don't want guns in their building, I believe that's their policies."
However, Alexander Roubian, president of the New Jersey Second Amendment Society, feels the new policy is a clear violation of the tenants constitutional rights to bear arms. His group plans to challenge the building's owner, RPM Development, in court if need be.
"Their tenants are scared they're going to be evicted and kicked out, not to mention they've put a bullseye on everyone here as an easy target," Roubian said.
Requests for comment from RPM Development and their attorney David Steinberg were not returned.
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