William E. Cleary Sr. | CNBNews
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Mr. Pierce purchased the property in 2021 for $175,000. In May 2022, residents began complaining to the City Housing Office about the property’s appearance. The Google Maps photos were taken in March 2023. Cleary’s Notebook News photo was taken on November 26, 2025. GOOGLE MAPS
GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (DECEMBER 4,2025)(CNBNEWS)–Cleary’s Notebook News submitted an OPRA request to Vanessa Little, the Custodian of Records for Gloucester City, on November 26. The request sought all citations filed against Roger Pierce, the occupant of 637 Division Street, for violating the City’s Housing Code. In response, we received 43 pages starting from May 4, 2022.
May 4, 2022 –
A resident on Division Street left a message on May 4, 2022, stating, “The property is a mess; construction debris is left all over the side yard.” The caller also expressed concerns about a half-built shed in the yard.
May 5, 2022,
Someone called the Housing Office to complain about “Excessive trash getting worse.”
The Housing Office subsequently charged Roger Pierce with several violations, including having junk outside the property, overgrown bushes and trees obstructing the sidewalk, tall grass and weeds, and fence defects.
October 24, 2022, described excessive junk and trash in the yard, with exposed electrical wires and paint cans left on the sidewalk. This complaint marked the fourth report since May 2022.
For whatever reason, there are no records of charges being filed against him until April 1, 2025, when the owner was charged with property maintenance, blight, and the erection of a fence without a permit.
On April 8, 2025, he was charged with installing a fence without a zoning permit, obstructing the sidewalk, and property maintenance.
On May 19, 2025, his neighbor at 635 Division complained that water was leaking into his basement from Pierce’s property.
On June 12, 2025, he was charged with weeds, grass, brush being over 10″ high
On August 27, 2025, a Division Street neighbor wants to know “if the city dump was moved to 637 Division.” He complained about the trash, debris, and junk lying in Pierce’s side yard. On the same day, another neighbor complained that the entire 600-unit block looked bad because of Pierce’s property.
On August 28, 2025, a neighbor complained about the excess weeds, trash, and debris at 637 Division Street.
We spoke with Officer William Johnson from the Gloucester City Police Department, who is assigned to the Housing Office.
“Mr. Pierce, a disabled veteran, has been fined multiple times for violating the city’s housing code. Currently, the total amount of fines he owes exceeds $5,000. He is scheduled to appear in municipal court in January. At times he doesn’t make sense. He claims to have served in Vietnam, but when that war was occurring, he was only six years old. I think the judge will order the City’s Public Works Department to clean up the property. If that happens, a lien will be placed against his property.”
Regarding the Housing Official who was visiting people on Rutgers Avenue last week. The law he referred to about leaving their empty trash cans in front of their property was passed in 1993. A resident sent us this note which we included in our original story.
“On trash day, my empty cans were at my gate and not behind it. It was only 5:15 PM. They were removed from the curb by 2:19 PM according to my Ring camera, but not yet placed in the yard.” That day, every neighbor with a trash can out at that time received the same warning from the Housing Office. The Gloucester City Housing Office was written at the top of the letterhead. I don’t understand this City. They allow the guy on Division Street to turn his property into a junkyard, but other residents will be fined $1,000 if they leave their trash cans at the curb after 5 PM. “(CONTINUE)