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NY Imam's NJ Building In Temporary Receivership

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- A northern New Jersey apartment building owned by the imam planning an Islamic community center and mosque near ground zero in New York has been put into temporary custodial receivership.

The Jersey Journal of Jersey City reported Saturday that Hudson County Judge Thomas Olivieri issued the order this week, citing a lack of improvements at the Union City site owned by Feisal Abdul Rauf.

Tuesday's ruling is the latest in the lawsuit Union City brought against Rauf in late September, alleging that he's failed to address code violations.

Olivieri's decision means the tenants October rent payments will be used to eliminate bedbugs from four apartments, cap sewer lines in the basement and improve a fire escape ladder. The work must be done by Dec. 9.

Neither Rauf nor his attorney, Tomas Espinosa, could be reached for comment.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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