2026-10-06 - Rent Protection Investigation Committee

00:03Good evening, everyone. We are on the

00:05record. Today is Tuesday, the 5th day of

00:08October, 2026. This is a regular meeting

00:11of the Rent Protection Special

00:12Investigation Committee. We had a

00:14scheduled 6:00 p.m. start time, and the

00:16clock on my cell phone is showing 6:11.

00:20May we have a roll call for the

00:21commencement of this meeting?

00:23Councilwoman Little?

00:25>> Present.

00:26>> Councilman Afroze?

00:27>> Present.

00:28>> Councilman Gilmore?

00:29>> Present.

00:30>> Councilman Griffin is on the way.

00:33Councilman Zuba?

00:34Is absent.

00:36Councilperson Singh?

00:38Is absent. And Councilperson Lavarro?

00:41>> Here.

00:47>> We have four council members in

00:48attendance at 6:12 p.m.

00:52Can we kindly rise for a salutation of

00:55the flag?

00:58I pledge allegiance

01:06>> I pledge

01:07visible liberty and justice for all.

01:11>> On behalf of the members of the Rent

01:12Protection Special Investigation

01:13Committee, in accordance with the New

01:15Jersey Public Laws of 1975, Chapter 231,

01:19the Open Public Meetings Act, also known

01:21as the Sunshine Law, adequate notice of

01:23this meeting has been provided by

01:25posting on the bulletin board of the

01:27first floor of the city of City Hall. In

01:29addition, at this time of at its time of

01:31preparation, the notice of this meeting

01:33was similarly disseminated on Sunday,

01:36October 4th, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. to the

01:39Mayor, Municipal Office, Council Office,

01:41Business Administrator, Corporation

01:43Counsel, and the local newspapers, and

01:45posted on the city's website, so I can

01:47certify as to our total compliance with

01:50the Sunshine Law.

01:57And Councilman Griffin is noted to be

01:59present at 6:13 p.m.

02:07>> Okay. Councilwoman Lena, you can take

02:10it. You're here. You like?

02:12Or

02:12>> Is it I mean the chair is here.

02:14>> Oh, okay. Oh, sorry. Council

02:16>> It's Councilman Gilmore, vice chair.

02:19>> Um, good evening everyone.

02:22Um, so

02:23those of you don't know, we're the

02:25special

02:26um, investigative committee. We're

02:28tasked with um,

02:30hearing

02:32I don't want to say complaints, concerns

02:34of residents as it relates to

02:36landlord-tenant relations, illegal

02:38rents, and things of that nature. Um, we

02:42have been interviewing different

02:44department heads, calling them in,

02:46asking them questions, and then we

02:48wanted to hear from the public. We

02:50wanted to hear real life experience that

02:53you ladies and gentlemen are

02:55experiencing with your landlord, and

02:58we're tasked with making recommendations

03:00to the administration to ensure that the

03:04landlord

03:06tenant laws are being applicable and

03:08applied here in Jersey City. Um, I do

03:11see that

03:13it looks like

03:15for the most part

03:17No, we Yeah, we have 16 people signed

03:19up. There's more than 16 people here.

03:22So, if any individuals who's not signed

03:25up would like to speak, you will be able

03:28to do so after the individuals that is

03:31signed up. Um, I am Councilman Gilmore,

03:34I'm a councilman of Ward F.

03:36Um,

03:37we also have two at-large council

03:39members that are part of this committee,

03:40Rolando Lavarro, somebody left, you guys

03:43right. Uh, Councilman Griffin, somebody

03:46right, so you guys left. Elena Little

03:48from Ward E, and Jake Ephros from Ward

03:51C.

03:52>> Jake

03:53I I was about to say I got it right.

03:57From Ward D. Um so, without that I'm

04:00excuse me, without further ado, we will

04:03um jump right into the the public

04:06testimony with speaker one.

04:10Um wait, do they have a copy of

04:13>> Chrissy Petrucci.

04:19>> No pressure.

04:20>> If you don't have an agenda, agendas are

04:22at the back of the room and on the table

04:23outside.

04:25>> Yeah, you're you're more than welcome to

04:27read that, ma'am.

04:29>> I have

04:305 minutes.

04:31>> Yes.

04:31>> 5

04:32>> Well, I mean, yeah, you we we we allot

04:34up to 5, but I mean, we

04:37we want to hear everything, but we want

04:39to be respectful of everyone else's time

04:41as well.

04:42>> This is all evidence of partial part of

04:45the things I'm going to say.

04:46>> Okay.

04:47>> This is so um and there's an email

04:50address

04:50>> Is that my board?

04:52>> It is now. Okay.

04:53>> There you go.

04:56There you go, ma'am.

05:00>> Good evening, board members, council

05:02members, and neighbors. My name is

05:03Chrissy Petrucci. I stand before you

05:05tonight to call out a complete breakdown

05:07in municipal enforcement. The housing

05:10protection

05:12protections passed by this very council

05:14are being actively undermined by city

05:15agencies like landlord-tenant relations,

05:17leaving tenants unprotected while

05:19non-compliant out-of-state landlords

05:21operate with impunity.

05:24For 4.5 years, my landlord concealed our

05:27our building's rent control status under

05:29chapter 260 from all six units using

05:31third-party marketing software to

05:34collect unimproved rents. During this

05:36time, we endured severe property

05:38neglect, open code violations, an

05:41unsecured front door, gas meter flag

05:43since 2010 leaking gas into our

05:45basement, an infestation with rodents

05:48and

05:49roaches.

05:50When I reported the life-threatening

05:51issue the right the life safety issues

05:53to Councilwoman Denise Ridley's office

05:55on April 28th via email, my landlord

05:58responded on Mother's Day with an

06:00illegal text raising my rent to $2,340.

06:05A special prosecutor's task force

06:07inspected the building, confirmed the

06:09rent control status, and fined the owner

06:11for not registering. OPRA

06:14OPRA record requests have proven that he

06:16had not registered since 2022.

06:19Under chapter 260, my legal base rent

06:21was capped at $1,7

06:23$1,713.

06:26Meaning, he extorted my unit alone for

06:28over $11,688.

06:33Yet, instead of holding him accountable,

06:35city administration enabled him.

06:37When he was forced to retroactively

06:39actively register in June of 2026,

06:42landlord-tenant relations permitted

06:44retroactive rent increases from 2023

06:48through 2026,

06:50effectively rewarding years of fraud and

06:52continued non-compliance.

06:54Meanwhile, my illegal rent petition has

06:57been backlogged.

06:58When I exercised my statutory right

07:00under NJSA 46:8-19

07:04to apply my security deposit after

07:06ignoring ignored requests, he hit me

07:08with retaliatory eviction proceedings.

07:11Because landlord-tenant relations

07:13allowed illegal rent petitions to sit

07:15backlogged, summary dispossess court

07:17offered no protection or delay.

07:20Faced with summary displacement for

07:21myself and my 12-year-old child, I was

07:23forced under extreme duress to sign a

07:25settlement surrendering my home by

07:27November 30th, 2026,

07:30and forfeiting my right to sue.

07:34Even now, while I prepare to move, the

07:36neglect continues. No lights in the

07:38hallways. No extermination

07:40services have provide have been provided

07:43since July of 2026 and continued

07:45harassment without enforcement.

07:48This council passed chapter 260 to

07:50protect residents. Yet, city departments

07:52gain retroactive grants, retroactive

07:56retroactive approvals, ignore backlogged

07:59petitions, and allow out-of-state

08:01landlords to weaponize the system

08:04against the very residents who stand up

08:05for their rights.

08:07I urge this council to hold the city

08:09agencies accountable to enforce the laws

08:11on your books. Stop enabling

08:13non-compliant landlords. Clear the

08:16backlog illegal rent petitions for

08:17retaliated tenants and stop granting

08:20retroactive retroactive rent increases

08:23without verifying compliance.

08:26Thank you.

08:27>> Okay. Thank you. Um

08:29>> Yeah. Thank you.

08:30>> Yes, ma'am.

08:31Yes.

08:32Okay. No, yeah. Ms. Patricia, um

08:35can you give us your address?

08:37You can do it privately if you want to.

08:39>> My address is 182 Ocean Avenue, Jersey

08:42City, New Jersey. I've actually emailed

08:44all the city council president members

08:47right before this meeting my information

08:50and a summary of my speech.

08:51>> Okay.

08:53>> And I have evidence of everything. I

08:55have text messages from when he told me

08:57in November after leaving me with no

08:59heat for two weeks, "Have fun keeping

09:01warm."

09:02Oh, I have the illegal rent text

09:05telling me that he was increasing my

09:07rent because I recorded him to 2004

09:102,340.

09:12Out while he had not reported and

09:15registered annually for his rent

09:16control.

09:19I have evidence of everything I've

09:20stated.

09:22Pictures, everything. And till this day,

09:24even though they've allowed him to

09:26increase the rent, he's still not

09:29compliant. He has not notified any of

09:31the buildings any of the tenants in the

09:32building, including myself, of the

09:34increase, nor have nor of our right to

09:38contest the increase. We have a right to

09:40contest the increase for up to 6 months.

09:43He's not notified anybody, including

09:45myself, and there's no notice,

09:47and he continues to elude

09:50addresses by using a shell address in

09:52Brooklyn. It's 199 Lee, and that address

09:56is in the news. I have the newspaper

09:58article in 2021 for housing over 2,200

10:02LLCs to landlords and to construction

10:06worker construction companies that are

10:08seeking to evade having to pay people

10:10and being served.

10:122,200 LLCs, and his is one of them. This

10:16This property owner owns more than 10

10:19properties in Jersey City alone,

10:22and he lives in Brooklyn. And how many

10:24does he do is every address is listed as

10:26a new LLC, and they switch the names. I

10:30can run his name for you, and you can

10:31run the other name. Under DCA, he's

10:33registered as one person. Under rent

10:36control with the city, he's registered

10:38as a whole another person.

10:40>> Thank you so much. That's your time, but

10:41if you have any other information, you

10:43can email [email protected],

10:47and all of the council office members

10:49and their aides will have access to that

10:51email.

10:51>> Thank you. Thank you for me.

10:53>> Thank you.

10:53>> Thank you for having me.

10:57>> I am I am not a lawyer, and I don't want

10:59to like jump the legal gun here, but I'm

11:02I'll phrase this as a question

11:05um about whether there is any

11:09whether there is any actual weight to

11:11signing a waiver to go to court under

11:14duress

11:16um that if you sign that under duress, I

11:18I I just don't know whether that like

11:20there is

11:21um a possibility that that's like not

11:23actually valid. So, that's something

11:25that I would explore. I can't

11:27um give legal advice on that, but I I

11:29would actually explore that. I don't

11:31know if anyone else is more familiar, um

11:33but I would certainly recommend getting

11:36some legal advice on that waiver.

11:39But we want to want to help you with

11:40your case in every other way that our

11:42speaker is possible.

11:44Yeah.

11:44>> Next on the list is one of Pinson.

11:48And Jayden Hernandez.

11:51Is Miss Pinson here?

11:54Lana?

11:55No.

11:57Um

11:57Hernandez?

12:00Jayden, Jayden's not here.

12:02Um

12:03Latricia Johnson?

12:06No.

12:09Uh Yvette Simon?

12:12No.

12:13>> Yvette Simon.

12:17>> Jabril?

12:20Well, who is here?

12:22>> [laughter]

12:24>> Wendy is here.

12:25>> Wendy Wendy is here.

12:27Where is Wendy?

12:36>> And so that's due

12:39>> Is is not the land is not landlord

12:41tenant related?

12:44Okay.

12:45Um

12:46Lambert?

12:48Mm.

12:50No Lambert either?

12:52Williams Williams Wanda?

12:54No Williams?

12:57Just thanks.

13:00Michelle?

13:01>> She's on the way.

13:03>> Oh, come on up young lady.

13:09>> My name is Michelle Albuquerque. I just

13:11wanted to say before I go and start

13:13speaking is that um

13:15my issue really is a landlord tenant

13:19issues without so much the the rent

13:22control. Is that okay if I submit

13:24>> Yeah, long as it's yes. it's there.

13:26>> Okay.

13:27Uh I live on Summit Avenue in Bergen

13:29Lafayette in Jersey.

13:31And

13:32I've lived there for 20 years. My

13:34landlord has never been a warm and fuzzy

13:36person. He

13:38but

13:40he has never

13:42harassed me or retaliated against me for

13:46the 20 years that I've lived there until

13:48recently.

13:50What caused this to happen? I could not

13:52tell you.

13:54It came out of the blue and it's been

13:56very

13:58challenging to live there since he's

14:00been on a campaign of harassment and uh

14:04trying to evict me. There have been

14:06booby traps placed in my hallway, in my

14:10courtyard because I live on that level.

14:12So it's having an effect on my

14:16ability to have

14:18What is it called?

14:20Enjoyment of your apartment, peaceful

14:21enjoyment of your apartment. Yes,

14:23quality of life. These things have to do

14:25with garbage, with um

14:28with

14:29holes in the building allowing moisture,

14:31water, rodents, and things of that

14:34nature to enter the building

14:36and them not taking care of it and

14:38letting it fester over time so that it

14:41keeps on

14:42damaging

14:44the building. Currently, there's mold

14:45problems in there that aren't addressed.

14:47I know that New Jersey I

14:49I don't think they can address mold

14:51through the um

14:53through the inspectors, but this is a

14:55problem

14:56that was discovered in my apartment

14:59and I notified the landlord and they

15:01never got back to me. This is something

15:03that was discovered and then covered up.

15:06So there's a problem growing within the

15:08the walls. There's a problem with

15:10moisture, there's a problem with leaks

15:12in the building, my apartment and the

15:14rest of the building. That's been going

15:15on for as long or longer than I've lived

15:17there. So these problems are

15:18accumulating. It's having an effect on

15:20my breathing

15:22and you know, might help.

15:24Um

15:26the maintenance people have been

15:27instructed not to speak to me.

15:30They come in the building only to um

15:34basically spy on what's going on. Um I'm

15:37the only tenant uh where there's a

15:39camera on my floor that was placed there

15:41by the landlord specifically to monitor

15:44my comings and goings and

15:47and basically

15:48that that's that's it. Uh you know, we

15:51have four floors, not a camera on any

15:53other floor, so he's not monitoring the

15:55safety of the building or the

15:56habitability of the building. This is

15:58just a camera placed to constantly watch

16:00me coming and going.

16:02There's also a possibility that this

16:04camera is able to see into my apartment

16:06when I'm opening and closing my door and

16:08coming in and out. Um

16:12the landlord has gone physical. He put

16:13his hands on me. He pushed me. He's

16:15broken property. He's recently broken

16:18something actually, and every time I

16:20call the police,

16:21and I'm told that there's really nothing

16:23they can do. I can't even press charges,

16:26that I should take him to court.

16:28So that leads me to not wanting to go to

16:31court to defend myself. I don't know the

16:33law. I don't know all the ins and outs

16:35of the law for housing in Jersey City.

16:37I don't want to make a misstep if I do

16:39go to court, so I've been actively

16:41trying to find a lawyer. Good luck with

16:44that. I've been told that

16:47first of all, my case is not worth their

16:49time. I've been told that by law they

16:53have to advertise that they will

16:55represent tenants and lawyers, but

16:57that's just for show and for the law.

16:59They don't represent tenants. There's

17:01nothing in it for them. These are

17:03lawyers that

17:05and attorneys that are charging a fee,

17:07but I've gone to legal services. They

17:09told me I make too much to be

17:11represented, but again they spoke with

17:13me as a courtesy, and I was basically

17:15told the same thing that my case wasn't

17:18worth it.

17:20Um the property that was broken, one of

17:22my things was up, my phone. Uh it was

17:24brand new when he broke it, but because

17:27it wasn't an iPhone, it wasn't worth

17:30going to court over.

17:31>> 1 minute.

17:32>> So, it's worth it for me because it's my

17:35property.

17:36Um and it's what I could afford, and

17:38it's still a criminal act whether it's

17:40an iPhone or not. Uh I called the Hudson

17:42County

17:44um Bar Association, and they told me

17:46there's not one lawyer signed on with

17:48them that will represent a tenant.

17:52When I'm running into all of these

17:53obstacles, I really don't want to make

17:56my last resort, which would be going to

17:58court, the last thing I could do to find

18:00out when I'm there that again

18:03I have no

18:05no case or not enough evidence or

18:08something that would prohibit me from

18:11um

18:12getting this landlord's harassment

18:14retaliation to to cease.

18:16>> 15 seconds.

18:17>> Okay. And then I'll end by saying um

18:20I I have not given up. Uh I have endured

18:23things like no heat in my kitchen for 20

18:26years that heat was being diverted to

18:28the hallway of the building, which is

18:30the responsibility of the landlord. So,

18:32that is the money that I feel is going

18:34to my rent. And every single piece of

18:36property that he's damaged, my time that

18:38he's wasted, that I've had to take off

18:39from work to deal with them,

18:41that I I feel is like a an increase to

18:45my rent because I keep losing money out

18:47of pocket to fight with this landlord.

18:50The last thing I just want to say very

18:51quickly, he called uh Adult Protective

18:54Services on me and made a false report.

18:56That should be illegal, and I should

18:58have the right to find out actually if

19:00it was him or if he had a maintenance

19:02person or somebody make that phone call.

19:04That's wasting government money,

19:05government time, and also that's not

19:07fair to the person who's being falsely

19:09accused of something to not have the

19:11right to know who made this complaint.

19:14Again, it's harassment and retaliation

19:16should be against the law and a crime.

19:19>> Thank you.

19:19>> Thank you. One question, Michelle.

19:21You You reside on the first floor in

19:23that building?

19:24>> Yes, called the ground floor. Like in

19:25Jersey City, they call it basement

19:27level, but to give it a clearer picture,

19:29some some areas call it a courtyard

19:31level. Like the Yeah. So, it's just

19:33street level.

19:34>> So, the street level. Okay.

19:37All right.

19:38What?

19:39>> Thank you. Thank you.

19:40>> Any other question?

19:42>> Can I just put this on the

19:43>> You can just put it on the

19:44>> Thank you. Thank you for your time.

19:49>> Um

19:51That was Michelle.

19:53>> Yes.

19:54>> Ramon Colon?

19:56Or Colon?

19:57>> Colon.

19:58>> [clears throat]

20:00>> And then Gabriel's on deck.

20:04>> Should we go one by one or can we

20:06>> Yeah, you guys You know this young man?

20:08>> Yeah, we live in the same in the same

20:10>> You all together?

20:11>> So, we're here basically to

20:13>> I'm sorry, just for the record, since

20:14there's two of you, can you please say

20:16and spell your names? Just for the

20:18record. Thank you.

20:19>> Okay. Good evening. Ray Colon.

20:21R A Y C O L O N.

20:24>> My name is Alban Bones. A L B A N B O N

20:28S.

20:30>> Okay.

20:31Make a

20:34>> Okay. So, basically we are here to talk

20:37about the the crisis that I is about to

20:40explode

20:41in the Newport Pavonia neighborhood.

20:44So,

20:45this is a very

20:48tight close community close community.

20:51So, we know each other for the past 20

20:55minimum 20 30 years.

20:57So, what happens now, all of the sudden

21:00it used to be a peaceful community until

21:03we got hit by notice that uh

21:06uh the landlord doesn't participate

21:10anymore in the New Jersey Housing

21:14Mortgage

21:15Agency and therefore

21:17the rents they're going to go up to a

21:20market rate to a market rate. So, the

21:23area where I live the market rate is

21:24like about 4,000 uh

21:27uh 4,000 uh 5,000 dollars.

21:30Now, uh I am here to give a voice to

21:35uh the senior citizens like in my mom.

21:38My mom is a 90 years old and she has

21:40dementia.

21:41On the first floor of that building you

21:43have the old coppers many old coppers

21:46and uh

21:47uh disabled. Most of the people they

21:50have like a they are about 70 80 years

21:53old. So, uh

21:55I mean this is a comedy.

21:57Uh

21:58when they're going to get evicted. So,

22:01how they're going to approach my mom?

22:02She's 90 years old with dementia.

22:04They're going to say, "Well, uh are you

22:06going to

22:07uh

22:08any state or local agency?" And this is

22:12we are

22:14uh afraid for our future.

22:17And this is like uh I came for the

22:20example of myself I had a mini stroke

22:22uh 4 years ago. I was able to uh

22:27recuperate my speech. I couldn't speak.

22:30My right my right hand side was

22:31paralyzed and thanks God I was able to

22:34uh uh

22:36uh to survive. I got better. So, that's

22:39why my speech is a little bit clearer

22:42because of those things. So, I

22:45I am the one that uh is sending letters

22:48to you guys

22:50to help us, okay? To maintain the mo the

22:55moderate income program. Okay?

22:57>> What's What's your What's the address do

22:59you know?

23:00>> The address so my address in particular

23:03is a 55 River Drive South. And this is

23:07this has to be with the ID parcel number

23:107302.02.

23:13The The I think that the lot is lot

23:16number five. So I can give you the

23:18addresses at 55 River Drive South, 35

23:22River Drive South, as well like the 30

23:25and the 40. Uh 30 30 and 40

23:30uh highway

23:32highway. So those are the four affected

23:34buildings. So we have more than 100

23:37families that would would get would get

23:39be affected.

23:40>> So wait. So a lot of you a lot of you

23:43are here for that same establishment.

23:47So is

23:49you're saying that they're pushing the

23:50rents to market? Is it supposed to be

23:53>> Well, the rent

23:54>> Is it supposed to be

23:55>> The exit I took

23:56>> So according to the

23:58>> Yes. If you if you guys just state your

24:00name for the record.

24:02>> Yeah.

24:03>> Joy Wilson

24:04And we all live at 10 Park Lane. And

24:09we have I've been there for 35 years and

24:11we were under the moderate income

24:13housing program that Newport was

24:15offering. And apparently we've been

24:17trying to contact and get information,

24:20but apparently the tax abatement in

24:22within Jersey City is ending.

24:24>> Right.

24:25>> Therefore, we are now receiving letters

24:28from management stating that they are no

24:30longer participating in the program and

24:33our rents will be going up to market

24:34value.

24:36So now we're we're left to determine

24:39whether we're going to be displaced or

24:41have to deal with rents that we cannot

24:43afford.

24:46>> When was the expiration of the of the

24:49that they sent?

24:50>> So the expiration The expiration of the

24:52abatement is going to take place on the

24:54in 2028. So I went to the taxation

24:58office in city hall. I got a copy and I

25:01sent the

25:03the members of the council uh

25:06under the exhibit A.

25:08So, they mailed that thing that I sent

25:09it like it was like a couple of days

25:10ago. So, I sent you I sent you one email

25:13this morning

25:15and on the same email you will see the

25:17exhibit A. So, the tax abatement or the

25:19pilot uh the pilot

25:22agreement the the

25:25the the pilot agreement is about to

25:27expire on the 28th.

25:29But, they already

25:32uh exited the agreement that they have

25:34with the New Jersey Housing and Finance

25:37uh Mortgage Corporation.

25:39Okay? Which basically is going to leave

25:41us without any

25:43uh

25:44uh

25:46any room to basically not to maneuver or

25:51negotiate in this in this case.

25:53>> And pretty much Newport has not given us

25:55any time frame.

25:57Uh the lack of transparency has been

25:59little to nothing. They have sent

26:01letters to tenants whose lease is

26:05expiring in December

26:09to make a decision about how what

26:11they're going to do. They've been told

26:13that they have a they've hired a

26:14third-party attorney or accountant to go

26:17over our finances to see if we still

26:19qualify for any kind of housing

26:23adjustment and that is only for one

26:24year. They can see What did they call

26:26it? A

26:27>> courtesy

26:28>> Yeah, a courtesy. A courtesy. Newport

26:32knew Newport Management knew about this

26:342 years ago. None of us were notified of

26:37any of this. When we signed leases 35

26:40years ago, no one told us that this was

26:43a program a 30-year program.

26:47We were not notified of any of this. So,

26:49now here we are. We have tenants,

26:52seniors, whose lease is being renewed in

26:56December.

26:58They are not going to be notified until

26:59mid-November of what their rent is going

27:02to be. They were given a letter, no

27:04dollar amount of this is what the rent

27:06market will be, no dollar amount of this

27:09is what we are proposing to you as a

27:12courtesy, and what that means, nothing.

27:16Absolutely no transparency whatsoever.

27:19We have families here that are retirees,

27:22seniors, they have children. I

27:25personally raised my son in this

27:26community. I have invested in this

27:29community for over 35 years.

27:32And for us to be displaced, or not even

27:35considered,

27:36is just is shameful. It really is

27:38shameful. And it's a black mark on

27:41Jersey City as a whole.

27:44>> Ma'am, can you

27:46Ma'am, can you spell your name for the

27:47record?

27:49>> Joy.

27:50>> Willson, W I L S O

27:52>> And that's J O I?

27:53>> Y.

27:54>> J O Y. Thank you.

27:56>> So, and then my last word, so it is my

27:59understanding that both of Hoboken

28:01uh has the we said

28:04similar type of situation. So, I just

28:07wanted you to look what they have done

28:10in order to mitigate these cases

28:13because I think that they they passed on

28:15our ordinance. So, I don't know. So, I'm

28:17just trying to find out what they did in

28:20Jersey, I mean, in Hoboken

28:22that then we can duplicate. So, so many

28:25things that we could

28:26duplicate as well.

28:29Thank you.

28:29>> Thank you.

28:30>> All right, thank you.

28:33Thank you. I just want to understand um

28:37the H and A agreement um is such

28:41expiring 2028, correct?

28:44>> That's correct.

28:44>> 2028.

28:45>> But what I was told by Equity in July

28:48that the area was affected July 28th,

28:512026.

28:52>> I'm sorry, only because we are recording

28:54and we have people watching at home, we

28:56need the person with the microphone to

28:58answer the questions. If you'd like to

29:00get in line behind him and follow up uh

29:03if you have the same address since we're

29:05speaking about this, but I need anyone

29:07talking, it's imperative that you hold a

29:09microphone so that your words are on

29:12record.

29:13>> Okay, [clears throat] so I probably

29:14receive the letter personally because my

29:17rent is due for next year, but it is my

29:20understanding that the people that are

29:22getting the letter, the letter states

29:24that the program

29:27has ended as per July

29:3028th, 2026. Okay? Because they exit the

29:36the association with the New Jersey

29:40Housing and Mortgage and Finance Agency.

29:43Okay? So, that is the time frame, July

29:4628th, that they exited the program. They

29:49that they actually support the moderate

29:52income program.

29:53>> Does anyone have a copy?

29:54>> Yeah,

29:55I have a copy.

29:56>> Can you give me a copy of that?

29:57>> Okay.

29:58>> Yes, you can send us a copy, please.

30:01>> You can email it to [email protected].

30:07>> Put it down, what he says, guys. You you

30:09are toast because the 260 doesn't apply

30:13to you. You can complain to the landlord

30:16and then the department they don't want

30:18to they don't want to they don't want to

30:19do anything about it because we are not

30:21subscribed to that entity. So, basically

30:25you are by your own.

30:26>> Okay.

30:27>> Well,

30:28>> we'll we'll we'll see about that part

30:29cuz

30:30that that's that's the landlord saying

30:32it and

30:32>> Yeah, they they they they they can say

30:36whatever they say on the letters that

30:37they sent to us.

30:38>> Has has any resident received of these

30:42with an increase yet?

30:44>> Not yet. Not yet.

30:46>> No, they haven't. They're they're going

30:47against our paperwork now because I had

30:49to give them my all my W-2s.

30:52So, yeah.

30:53>> People, we have to understand this is

30:55very urgent, but in order for we for us

30:59to have order, the person who's

31:02answering the questions have to have the

31:05mic and your name have to be recorded

31:08and you do it that way for the

31:10transcript's purposes, for clarity and

31:12continuity in [clears throat] all all

31:14the same thing.

31:15>> So, my understanding, sir, is that not

31:19yet no residents have received the

31:23increase or the new lease.

31:24>> Of the

31:24>> So, at this at this point, what they're

31:26doing right now, they collected our

31:28financials information in order to

31:30process.

31:31>> Okay.

31:32Um can

31:34uh wait, so let let's uh

31:37>> I gave him two extra I gave him five

31:40extra minutes because the other woman

31:41stood up and in out of respect for time

31:44for everybody, I think it's time to go

31:45to the next speaker.

31:46>> Yeah, that's what I said. Um so, um

31:49uh wise Gabriel Gabrielle, is Come on,

31:53young lady.

31:55Are you from Newport, too?

31:56>> Yes, I am.

31:57>> Okay.

31:57>> Thank you. Thank you.

31:59>> [laughter]

31:59>> Who's job coming out, huh?

32:02I'm very honored to see many of my

32:04compatriots here. I do not have any um

32:08information, you know, in terms of

32:09paperwork or data. I just heard about

32:12this catastrophic news by word of mouth

32:15from another tenant

32:17uh just a few days ago in passing. She's

32:20also part of the moderate income

32:21program.

32:23Uh we both live at 30 Newport Parkway

32:26and within the complex. And um

32:30you know, she just basically told me

32:31they're ending the program. Um and she

32:33told me about this meeting

32:35which she was not able to attend.

32:38So, I I this it was such catastrophic

32:41news that I have yet to process.

32:44I've been living in the building for

32:45over 10 years, and it's an absolute

32:48lifeline this program.

32:51It's a vile inhumanity to end it and to

32:55play with our lives. We are pawns.

32:58And what I'm paying is not exactly a

33:01steal.

33:02>> [laughter]

33:02>> But, when you compare to

33:05you know, the beyond insane costs of

33:08rent,

33:09I suppose it could be considered that,

33:11but it's not empirically a steal.

33:14So, I'm just here to give my

33:16reinforcement,

33:17and I will do whatever possible to fight

33:21to preserve this this vital program

33:25indefinitely.

33:27So, I'll I'll be I'll stay tuned for

33:29further information on how to do this

33:32and lend my support in any way possible.

33:35>> All right. Thank you.

33:37>> Um

33:40Shaya? Shaya?

33:43>> Shaya Badensky.

33:47>> Anna?

33:52Aris, are you here? No?

33:54>> Anna Muslimova.

33:58Monya Raidy Deon.

34:01>> Monya?

34:02>> Monya?

34:05Monya.

34:06>> Monya. All right. So, if you Yeah.

34:08>> Now, we can line up.

34:10>> Yes, come on, young fellow. If you could

34:11just state and say your name for the

34:13record. I mean, state and spell your

34:15name.

34:17>> I have the oldest.

34:19>> Yes.

34:19>> can put it Yeah, if you

34:22>> No, it begins to write.

34:31>> I

34:32>> My name is Arin Steinberg. I live in the

34:34city Newport Parkway. I've lived here

34:37for about 4 years. I I prepared a

34:39statement, but I think I'm just going to

34:41talk. Okay.

34:43I'm a little nervous cuz I haven't done

34:45this in a long time.

34:47So, just to tell you quickly about me,

34:50I'm a retired New York City worker,

34:52civil servant for 13 years.

34:54My my wife

34:57is a case manager, social worker for

35:00substitute teachers.

35:03She has breast cancer and is getting

35:05treated. I have a kid. So, we have a

35:08family

35:09that's being affected by this. And I

35:12just wanted to throw out some data to

35:14you. There's four buildings being

35:15affected: 55 River Drive South, 35 River

35:19Drive South, 30 Newport Parkway, 20

35:21Newport Parkway. There are 271

35:24apartments with numerous families in a

35:26moderate income program. So, that's

35:29that's fact, okay? Four buildings, 271

35:33apartments with numerous

35:35moderate income families. Okay, I'm

35:38going to throw some dates at you, okay?

35:40Because what's going on right now is

35:42that our backs are against the wall.

35:46They sent us an email

35:48September 23rd,

35:51right? Um saying that July 28th,

35:54the program ended, okay? Then, a few

35:58days ago, this is now October, a few

36:01days ago, I get a letter saying the same

36:03thing that the email said. So,

36:05basically, they're about 2 months after

36:08what already occurred, telling us that

36:10about this program, right?

36:12So, that means that if they were doing

36:15this if they concluded this with this

36:18mortgage financing agency

36:21on July 28th, how much were

36:24further in the past were they working on

36:26this and nobody knew about it. Right?

36:28So, they've been working on this I mean,

36:29you know, it takes a long time to do

36:31these kind of things. So, we were just

36:33This is a little new to us. Some people

36:35don't even have paperwork on on what

36:37don't even know what's going on because

36:39they haven't seen any any letter or

36:40anything. Maybe it's in the mail. I

36:42mean, this is this is crazy.

36:45And

36:46you know, and just so you understand the

36:48timing of this, so I spoke with the

36:51leasing manager the other day.

36:53I said, "Listen,

36:55you know, we have to produce this income

36:57verification

36:59and my lease and my lease ends November

37:0128th from from 1 year ago. So, like they

37:05got a gun to my head, right? Because I

37:09have to produce these documents. My

37:11lease ends in less than 2 months and I

37:15don't know if my rent's going to go up,

37:17if it's going to be market rate. Maybe

37:18they're going to extend it out of the

37:20goodness of their heart. Yeah, thank you

37:22very much.

37:24So, I'm I'm living in a in huge state of

37:26anxiety right now because I don't know

37:28where me and my family What are we going

37:30to be doing come December, January? Am I

37:33going to be living here? Do I Do I have

37:35to put everything in storage? Are they

37:37going to re- raise my rent?

37:39I you know, I have no idea where my life

37:42is going to be in in 3 months. Much

37:45Well, actually this is October December.

37:48I don't know what they're going to do to

37:49me, right? Because

37:51let's say I give them the uh

37:54the the documents in in this week, which

37:56I'm hoping to, right? And then they take

37:58them 2 weeks to review it. And then they

38:01make a decision about what my rent is

38:03going to be. I know my rent's going to

38:05be because they're leaving them they

38:06left the moderate income program. Maybe

38:08they're going to be nice and they're

38:09going to say, "Okay, we're going to

38:11leave let you stay here for 6 months, 3

38:13months, 1 year." I have no idea. So, I'm

38:16living in a very like strange

38:20time right now as we all are. We just

38:22don't know what's going to happen when

38:25our lease is up. And my my lease is up

38:27November 28th, right? So, that means

38:31they can do anything, right? Cuz they

38:33left the program. So, you know, what I

38:35just want to conclude, okay? I don't

38:37know.

38:38Yeah, I just hope that Jersey City and

38:41Newport and if the state's involved in

38:44all of this can come to some kind of

38:47agreement with this tax subsidy because

38:51I spoke with the Senator Booker's

38:52office.

38:54I got them involved in this and

38:56you know, it just seems as if though

38:58there's some kind of a tax subsidy

39:00that's not being renewed and this is

39:02causing a problem with Jersey City,

39:04which is in turn causing a problem with

39:05Newport. So, I just hope that you all

39:08and the state can get together and

39:11figure this out and so that you know,

39:14our lives are not going to be tortured

39:15the next couple of months and we can

39:17continue to live here. You know, even if

39:19you can work out something temporarily

39:22so that we're not under the gun here and

39:25we we know where our life's going to be

39:26in 3 months. We would appreciate

39:28anything you can do to work with Newport

39:31and the state to come to some kind of at

39:33least a working temporary solution until

39:37there's a more long-term solution. We

39:39just we we need some kind of help here

39:41like now.

39:43>> Now, when you say

39:45um

39:45they're asking for documentation.

39:48Document what what are they asking like

39:50>> You know, verification [clears throat]

39:51and stuff like that so they can

39:53>> Yes.

39:54>> I guess see what a fair rate will be

39:56based on your salary. Is that am I

39:58hearing that correctly?

39:59>> It's basically a moderate income

40:01program. Every year

40:03they they go through this we go through

40:05this income verification and then they I

40:08guess they base your rent on that. How

40:10do they they make that formula? But,

40:12that's how I've been living here. I've

40:13been living here for about 4 years and

40:15that's why I moved here. I moved here

40:17because of this program, because I can't

40:19afford market rate. I'm retired. Okay,

40:22my wife's not working. Um so, I live

40:24here because I can't live anywhere else.

40:26So, if this if they screw around with us

40:28and try to turn it into market rate, I

40:31don't know where we're going to go. I've

40:32got to have I don't have no idea. I

40:34can't live there. Not not at market

40:36rate. I just cannot. I moved here

40:37because of that. And I'm sure everybody

40:39else is going to have similar similar

40:41problems.

40:42Um so, you know, 271 apartments.

40:45>> Hi, and can you spell your name for the

40:47record?

40:48>> R A

40:50S T E I N B E R G.

40:56Thank you.

41:01>> I just want to thank everyone from

41:02Newport uh for coming out um and sharing

41:05these concerns with us. We've been

41:07getting emails as well. Our office has

41:09reached out to Left Bank and um

41:13you know, they're they're saying that

41:15they're they're going to see what they

41:16can do as a courtesy,

41:19um but they're not giving us any numbers

41:21either and and we're continuing to push

41:23to try and get some numbers and and

41:25finding out what this means for you this

41:27year going forward

41:29um

41:30in terms of legislation and things like

41:33that. Um it is

41:35something that is, you know, probably

41:38difficult to get the kind of turnaround

41:40that or difficult if not impossible to

41:42get the kind of turnaround that would be

41:44needed for this. So, we're looking for,

41:46you know, um like

41:48like the gentleman said, um

41:52some sort of short-term agreement or or

41:56solution, you know, so that we can um so

42:00that people don't aren't forced out of

42:01their homes while we while we work on a

42:03long on a more longer-term solution. Um

42:09but, you know, we we are taking this

42:10seriously. We are trying to get them to

42:12stay give us some actual numbers um

42:15because it's, you know,

42:17"We'll work with you." isn't very

42:19comforting because you don't know what

42:21that means. And

42:23I guess the only other thing I will say

42:25is brought

42:27um

42:29in the state of New Jersey, tenants are

42:31protected against unconscionable rent

42:34increases, but

42:37you know, and and I am not a lawyer.

42:38This is not legal advice. Um

42:41but

42:44unconscionable is difficult to enforce

42:46because what does that mean, right? And

42:49and so you would have to go

42:51if if a tenant in the state of New

42:52Jersey thinks they are facing an

42:54unconscionable rent increase, you would

42:55have to go

42:56to court and and hope the judge agrees

42:58with you that it's unconscionable.

43:01Um and and that's for non-rent control

43:02properties, right? Obviously, rent

43:03control has much more stringent

43:05regulations and income-restricted

43:07housing is much more stringent

43:08regulations.

43:09So

43:11um again, I'm not an attorney. This is

43:13not legal advice, but I I would

43:14sincerely hope that they would not

43:16immediately raise your rents to market

43:18rate overnight because I think uh

43:22I I would think that that would probably

43:26be unconscionable. So

43:29you know, I I

43:31am happy to look more into this and and

43:33talk to some lawyers and you know, I I

43:38encourage you to do the same if if

43:41you're able to. I do know

43:43the the Waterfront Project and Northern

43:46New Jersey Legal Services

43:49um both

43:52provide

43:54free legal representation for tenants

43:56and NJLS has

43:58income restrictions. The Waterfront

44:00Project does not, but you have to be

44:02facing eviction typically

44:04to get

44:05representation with the Waterfront

44:07Project. So, those are two potential

44:09avenues that I I will recommend to

44:12people.

44:13Um and I will also Our office is also

44:15going to be talking to attorneys and and

44:17trying to figure out, um you know,

44:20what protections you have in this

44:22situation.

44:24>> Yeah, young lady, oh,

44:26>> I I just one more

44:27Sorry. Just one more brief note. Um

44:30these buildings uh

44:32kind of

44:33straddle Ward B and Ward E, our

44:36respective wards that we represent

44:39downtown Jersey City.

44:41Um

44:41and

44:43we are going to work on, as Councilwoman

44:45Little just explained, as many solutions

44:48as quickly as possible. Um but we we are

44:51committed to doing a community meeting

44:52down there to get even more folks from

44:55your buildings out there to meet with

44:57you all, um not just tonight, but to

44:59make sure anyone who wasn't able to come

45:00tonight also can have their voices

45:02heard, that we can have a full

45:03discussion on what the steps forward can

45:06be, come up with some solutions, offer

45:08them, and um work on it together to

45:11protect tenants here.

45:13>> Young lady, can you uh spell this for

45:15me, young lady, I think?

45:17>> My name is Nicolette Pippis, and I see o

45:20l e t t e, and last name is p i p p i s.

45:25>> Okay. Did you get that?

45:28>> The record did.

45:29>> All right, okay. Oh,

45:30hey, young lady.

45:31>> I'm also from Newport, and I have a

45:33lease I'm going to say as the Delmonico

45:36lease form. My lease is up in November,

45:39and they haven't really said anything

45:41about the price I'm going to be paying.

45:42I have my daughter right there, she said

45:44she's born and raised in Newport. Um

45:47I can't I I'm a teacher. I make a I was

45:50living I can't afford the market right

45:52there. I don't know if in a month or two

45:54they're going to say you have to pay

45:55$5,000 for this apartment, and I have

45:57nowhere to go. This is going to displace

46:00a whole bunch of people, and like you

46:01said, it's really because

46:03it's not even November, we're in

46:04October. I don't know

46:07what's going to happen and I'm not

46:08prepared for them to say

46:10this is your new rent.

46:12Stay and pay it or move.

46:14I have nowhere to go. I'm a single

46:16mother. I'm a teacher. I can't afford

46:18that rent on a teacher's salary um

46:21as one person living there. I've been

46:23there since born and raised there. I'm

46:25born and raised in Jersey City. I've

46:27poured a lot back into this community. I

46:28teach in Jersey City. And it's really

46:30like heartbreaking that they're the

46:32community that I poured so much into, I

46:34continue to pour into, is like now, what

46:37are we going to do? Well, I have to move

46:38from the community. I don't want to do

46:40that. I love this community.

46:41So, it's really tough situation right

46:44now. And it's like exactly like he said,

46:45it's a constant state of stress like

46:48oh my gosh, what are they going to let

46:49me know? I have submitted all my

46:50documents. Now I'm just kind of waiting

46:52for them to say

46:54what I'm going to be paying.

46:56Um that's not the greatest feeling. So,

46:59>> How long have you um how long ago have

47:01you submitted all the documents?

47:03>> last week.

47:04>> Last week.

47:05>> Last week and they confirmed that they

47:06received them, but that's kind of it.

47:09So, I'm just waiting to see in November,

47:12my lease is up. So,

47:13they have to let me know soon.

47:16>> Yes.

47:16>> Yes.

47:17>> So, so has anyone received

47:19correspondence from uh HMF A or all of

47:22this correspondence is coming from the

47:23landlord?

47:24>> Landlord.

47:25>> Landlord.

47:26>> State is not

47:28>> The state hasn't

47:29>> No. Not at all. No.

47:31>> I wouldn't trust them.

47:34>> Enjoy your stay.

47:35>> Like I said, I love this community. I

47:36really would be heartbroken to have to

47:39leave and you know, that's why I stay

47:40here. I could go teach somewhere else

47:42and you know, I love working in Jersey

47:43City. I love growing up in Jersey City

47:45and I really don't know what's going to

47:48happen to this community. I see it

47:49changing and

47:54>> Thank you for giving back.

47:55>> Thank you.

47:55>> Thank you.

47:57>> You did it.

48:03Can you uh

48:05state and spell your name for the

48:06record, sir?

48:07>> My name is Nelson Morales the third.

48:11>> Can you spell it?

48:13>> N e l s o n

48:15>> Uh-huh.

48:15>> M as in Mary, o r a l e s

48:19I I I the third.

48:20>> I I I the third?

48:22>> [laughter]

48:24>> I want to thank you guys as public

48:25servants. I'm a public servant myself.

48:27I work at the OC County Registrar's

48:29Office under Jeffrey Dublin. I had

48:30direct access to Dee Ridley, who

48:33coincidentally was on the board where

48:35they um

48:37decided to reject the proposal that

48:39Newport gave for the extension of the

48:41tax abatements for 30 and I think 40

48:43Newport apartment, which I think they

48:45were requesting for additional years.

48:47And included with that would be already

48:50the existing 160 rental units that they

48:53have that go under that affordable

48:54housing um program with the state, and

48:57adding on an additional 18.

48:59It was rejected 6 to 1, I believe,

49:02right?

49:03So, um when I inquired with her, I was

49:04wondering, me as a public servant,

49:06right? I make only $54,000.

49:08But many of us are public servants. We

49:10are lifelong residents of Chill Town,

49:13Jersey City as I refer to it, right?

49:15So, I as a public servant hold people

49:19accountable.

49:20I believe in some sort of way, whatever

49:22happened there, Lefrak must have been

49:24like, you guys are not going to renew

49:25that.

49:27So, why don't we up this? And now we're

49:29at where at where at now. I don't know

49:31if that's retaliatory. I know the timing

49:33seems rather odd.

49:35I called Mr. James Solomon, our mayor,

49:38and I'm going to say as a public

49:39servant, he called me directly back.

49:41And advised me that he would pass off my

49:44information to an individual known as

49:45Colleen Smith. She came and communicated

49:47with me. I passed the telephone number

49:49to a bunch of others. But as a concerned

49:52citizen and a resident of Jersey City

49:55pre and post 9/11 who's seen this place

49:57come from where it's at. Newport has

49:59always been the backdrop of many of us.

50:00I learned how to ride a bike there. She

50:02has her child enrolled in the school.

50:05There are people and walkers and seniors

50:06there. These These are not just units.

50:09These are people, faces, and lives that

50:13contributed to the livelihood of

50:14Newport. And I'm not talking about

50:16bedroom community. I'm talking about

50:17people who love this place because they

50:20know no other place to go.

50:22And now, because of whatever happened,

50:25which we didn't know of. Did anyone know

50:27about that proposal?

50:30Right?

50:31I'm the type of person that I'm about

50:33transparency. The beautiful thing about

50:34Jersey City, you got this actual liberty

50:36here.

50:37We got the Freedom Tower over there. You

50:39know what that represents to us, right?

50:41So, and when I see things not up there,

50:43I'm like, "What the heck? How did I not

50:44know about this?" And I should have

50:45known when them balloons for Newport 40

50:47years went up that them rats was going

50:49to go up, too.

50:51>> [laughter]

50:52>> Now, that's gangster. Like anybody from

50:55Jersey City would say. Mr. Goodmorning,

50:56you would know.

50:58So, my main concern is I know, just like

51:00the gentleman um Mr. Ira, right?

51:02Somebody said um

51:04that is there any way that they can go

51:06about renegotiating this proposal? When

51:08I spoke to Ms. Really, she's like, "Nah,

51:09might be a dub." And I'm like, "Can't it

51:12be a dub? Is there any other way that

51:13they Cuz that's really what I think was

51:15the aftereffect of whatever happened."

51:18It happened immediately. I think July

51:202026 or something of that nature.

51:23July 28th, right? After this 2025th,

51:26right? So, it kind of coincided like

51:28with the two things. I don't know. You

51:29guys could do all the messing out.

51:31Colleen Smith said this is an old

51:32program. My mother went

51:34to this uh It was um lived in Newport in

51:371989 when it first began. So, we have a

51:40history of when this all started.

51:42And one would know when them tax

51:44abatements were up that that program

51:47went with it.

51:48So, I don't know if there's something

51:50that you guys can get get back to the

51:51drawing board, ask for some revisions.

51:54Something could have happened. I know

51:55that's kind of like a pipe dream, but

51:57that's kind of I believe what the root

51:59of it is. And if not, at least it was

52:01some more transparency, lean on them,

52:03see if there will be a leniency rate,

52:05courtesy, whatever they believe moderate

52:07income is, right?

52:09Like, don't leave us [clears throat] at

52:11the mercy of these developers,

52:12especially since Mr. Solomon

52:15ran on a campaign slogan of affordable

52:18housing. Am I crazy?

52:20Am I crazy?

52:22Now, I have so much respect for Mr.

52:24Solomon. I don't care about the Sopranos

52:27state. I love what Jake Jake is doing. I

52:28like your work. We from here, right? And

52:31we want to stay here.

52:34So, please help us stay here.

52:36And that's my time. I love y'all,

52:38people.

52:42Oh, wait. So, I'm

52:44I'm going to be on I'm starting to

52:46So, I I remember I don't think this

52:48council, but last council

52:50>> Last year.

52:51>> Yes. This

52:53this correlates to the uh renewal for

52:57the abatement that they were getting,

53:00but that was on two towers.

53:02>> 30 and 40 Newport

53:03>> That's us. 30 and 40 Newport Parkway. We

53:05represent.

53:10>> Those were two separate two separate

53:13piles.

53:15>> The interesting thing is there's two

53:16employees within our department sorry

53:19that when they put that gavel, I don't

53:20think they know

53:21>> Mr. Mr. Mr. Mike, you can talk. Talk

53:23into the Mr. uh

53:24>> Oh, I asked Mr. Really, I said, "You

53:25know, as gangster, I put the gavel,

53:27y'all made y'all judgment. Did you know

53:28three employees that work here in this

53:30very same department were going to be

53:31impacted by it?" Cuz we are.

53:33You know, when you guys make decisions,

53:34you don't know the other side, but we

53:36are the end result of that. Right here.

53:39And we didn't know, cuz nobody knows

53:41what goes on in there. We just know that

53:43Newport is a really fly place to live at

53:45and a good place to raise your children.

53:47And a lot of us have like legacy. We got

53:49like we connected to them buildings.

53:51Well, let's backtrack that. We was one

53:52of the first ones when let when they

53:54gave them that tax abatement because

53:55that's why they gave them that tax

53:56abatement.

53:57To bring it here. So,

54:00yeah, them buildings

54:01kind of made him what he did that

54:03Emerald City, but the people in them

54:05buildings is what made Newport what it

54:07is.

54:09Cuz them people that come in, they're

54:10not from Newport. They're not even from

54:12Jersey City, you know? Just being real.

54:14They don't know what it is to eat a

54:16bacon, egg, and cheese in the morning.

54:17Just being real, ladies.

54:19They don't know what the Jersey Journal

54:20They ain't never had a 50 cent coffee,

54:22you know what I'm saying? At the truck

54:23stop. We do.

54:25And it feels sad like the the the

54:27essence of Newport. The other day I went

54:29I was in Morton Williams, right? And I

54:32see a lady there and she she sad. I'm

54:33like, "What are you sad about?" She

54:34like, "Man, I've been here since I was 4

54:36years old. I'm 28 and I don't know

54:38what's going to happen. My mother's

54:39about to bounce. We don't know what's

54:41going on."

54:42And me as a public servant, that's what

54:44we really about. It's really about

54:45grassroots. It's not some Malcolm X

54:47We on some real real like

54:48grassroots public service stuff. When I

54:50saw that, that broke my heart. Cuz now

54:52it's a story behind this.

54:54You get what I mean?

54:56And I didn't know she brought it to my

54:57attention. I didn't even know that this

54:58was happening. I was like, "What the

54:59What?" I said, "You know, since I have

55:00direct access to the homies, let's go

55:03talk to them. Let's see what's going

55:04on." Let's hold people accountable cuz

55:06that's what transparency in government

55:07is about. That's what Solomon

55:09represents. That's what Jake represents.

55:11That's what you represent. Like we could

55:13we could even talk about this at the rec

55:14side if they want. But you get what I

55:16mean? We

55:17face-to-face. That's what government is

55:19about. But the backhand deals when they

55:21do stuff, they don't know what happens.

55:23They don't know who they impact. So, now

55:25they just decimated a whole community.

55:27They probably Newport is just doing this

55:29on purpose. Right? They was holding 160

55:30houses to be like, "All right.

55:32What we going to do?"

55:35They doing you right when you need I I

55:37renewed lease in July, so I don't I

55:39didn't think about it.

55:40You see what I mean? So, everybody but I

55:43think they're doing it like that cuz

55:44they would rather it that way. Unless

55:46they want all of us to come here and

55:47rally behind y'all. So, you negotiate

55:49their proposal. I really don't know what

55:51the strategy is. I'm just telling you

55:52the end result, the byproduct of what

55:54happened.

55:55>> Oh.

55:56>> The whole community. Thank you again. I

55:57love you.

55:58>> Thank you.

55:58>> I'll be going.

55:59>> Next, you want to go before you can um

56:02say and spell your name, please?

56:04>> Yes, my name is Deonka, D E O N C A.

56:08Last name is Williams.

56:09>> Oh, you were Oh, okay. You're on the

56:11list, Ms. Williams. I had called you

56:13Okay.

56:14>> Question.

56:15Every year when the moderate income

56:16tenants sign their lease, they told us

56:18that we have to have that apartment as

56:20our only apartment. So, why would they

56:22say that and then tell us that we may

56:24have to pay a higher amount? I'm going

56:26to read what it says. It says, "An

56:27apartment rented as part of the moderate

56:30income program must be used as a

56:33resident's primary residence. The

56:35applicant resident must live in the

56:37apartment and may not own another home,

56:40lease another apartment, or otherwise

56:42have an interest in any other home or

56:43apartment. The resident shall not leave

56:46the apartment vacant for more than two

56:47successive months." So, if you could go

56:49back and ask them when you contact the

56:51fact, why would they say that you all

56:53the day we're going to throw this game

56:54on us later on, that would be greatly

56:55appreciated. And also, I believe there

56:58is a covenant within the regulatory

57:00agreement between the PHA and JCNI

57:02report saying that once you're in the

57:04moderate income program, you in it for

57:06life.

57:07So, what does that mean? So, now they're

57:08saying something different? Could you

57:10ask them that? That would be greatly

57:11appreciated.

57:12>> Okay. Thank you, Ms. Williams.

57:14>> Okay.

57:15>> Um and would you be able to send those

57:17documents to us?

57:18>> Yes, I can. I'll send them right here,

57:19but obviously I've written on them, but

57:21I can email them to the committee.

57:22>> Yeah, we have the email address.

57:25>> That way I can make sure it gets to the

57:26person.

57:27>> Okay.

57:27>> Thank you so much.

57:28>> Um and one more thing, this This my

57:30personal observation. Like, I noticed

57:32something in New Jersey called like fair

57:34share where they have allocate certain

57:36apartments for lower income people. And

57:38in my opinion, Newport is like a city

57:40within a city. So, where is your fair

57:42share? All the apartments being marketed

57:44would not be a fair share. There are

57:46only 271 apartments and each year they

57:48develop, they build more apartments and

57:50all those are market. So, what do they

57:52need from us? They don't need to make

57:54all of them market. The thing they they

57:56have a loss because it's really maybe

57:58like 1% of the entire community that's

58:00moderate income.

58:03If you ask them that, that would be a

58:04fair share. Thank you.

58:06>> Thank you, Miss Williams.

58:07>> Thank you very much.

58:08>> Um

58:09>> So, um

58:10The last question I think I can answer

58:13because um

58:14you know, I mean Newport may feel like

58:16it's our little city, but it is part of

58:17Jersey.

58:18It is legally considered to be part of

58:21Jersey City, but it it is still a valid

58:24concern and a valid point that you're

58:25making. We need to have

58:27We need to have places for people to

58:29live, people of moderate income to live

58:30in Newport.

58:31>> I'm sorry, I forgot one more statement

58:33or observation. People were saying that

58:34this property was built on federal land

58:37and that somehow they should make some

58:39type of allowance for people who are

58:40lower income. So, that's something that

58:42maybe they could take into consideration

58:44when they when you guys reach back out

58:46to the organization. I think that's my

58:47last question.

58:48>> All right. Thank you, Miss Williams.

58:50>> Thank you so much.

58:50>> Next young lady, if you can

58:53um state spell your name for the record,

58:54please.

58:56>> Hi, my name is Yvette Hernandez.

58:58Y V E T T E

59:01and Hernandez H E R N A N D E Z.

59:06I'm just going to follow up on some of

59:08the questions on that they were asking

59:10cuz I actually had a meeting with with

59:12um Donnie

59:14>> Hold hold it closer.

59:15>> with Donnie and which is

59:18the moderate income program person that

59:20um I'm all set on it.

59:22>> Melissa?

59:23>> I mean, not Melissa, um

59:25Miss

59:26>> Melissa.

59:26>> Yeah.

59:27Yeah. Melissa, I guess.

59:29No, Missy Missy, I'm sorry. So, anyway,

59:32I didn't get to speak to Donny

59:34personally, like he was on the phone and

59:38Missy was translating for him and stuff.

59:40So,

59:41I had asked them because my lease is up

59:45in December and I had asked them

59:49when they're going to send out the

59:51letters on how much we're going to be

59:53paying. They couldn't give me an answer.

59:56I had asked them if they're going to let

59:59other tenants know in advance so that

1:00:02no one's freaking out because as soon as

1:00:04I received that letter, I just busted

1:00:06out in tears because I've been in 30

1:00:08Newport for a very long time. I raised

1:00:09my son there.

1:00:11I'm ready to retire next year.

1:00:13I don't want to have to leave Jersey

1:00:16City, but

1:00:18I have no other choice.

1:00:20What They told me that it was going to

1:00:23be raised by 3% of what

1:00:26you came in paying. If that makes sense.

1:00:30Um

1:00:31They also said that they couldn't

1:00:34um

1:00:35give me a specific time on how much

1:00:39Oh, no, I'm sorry. They told me

1:00:40basically they're going to give people a

1:00:42year's time

1:00:44of living there until they find a place

1:00:47and stuff like that. But I also asked,

1:00:49how about if we don't find an apartment

1:00:51before the time that they give us?

1:00:53They said that well, then maybe they'll

1:00:55give us some time. I I asked to have

1:00:57this stuff in writing. They wouldn't do

1:00:59it for me. So, um

1:01:02I

1:01:03I totally forgot exactly what I was

1:01:05going to say, but I'm sorry. I'll

1:01:06finish.

1:01:07>> Take your time, darling.

1:01:08>> I'm not used to this, but um

1:01:11I was trying

1:01:13what they were saying

1:01:15what they were concerned about, I can't

1:01:17remember now. And I'm so sorry about

1:01:18that. But

1:01:20again

1:01:22what I was told was that they will tell

1:01:25people as they're

1:01:27like um

1:01:29what do you call that?

1:01:30>> Leasing.

1:01:30>> Leasing or up and stuff and whatnot, but

1:01:33I don't think that's fair. I think that

1:01:34they should be telling everybody. Like

1:01:36we didn't even know about they were

1:01:38having these meetings with regard to

1:01:40um

1:01:41the money income program expiring. And

1:01:44that's another thing. The articles

1:01:46There's an article that says that it's

1:01:48expiring in 2028. But according to

1:01:50Missy, she said that they already

1:01:52eliminate the pro- they already

1:01:53eliminate the program

1:01:55>> Who Who Who's Missy, miss?

1:01:56>> She's one of the people in the in the

1:01:58management building. That's one of the

1:01:59property managers, I guess. Um

1:02:02the person that I supposed to deal with

1:02:03was Donnie, but Donnie wasn't available.

1:02:06And so she was just, you know, following

1:02:08up with me and stuff. And she had told

1:02:10me that she would promise me that she

1:02:11would get everything in writing for me.

1:02:12And neither one of them did. And I

1:02:15The email that I sent to with the letter

1:02:17that they sent me has I which I didn't

1:02:19want to say has all my correspondence

1:02:21back and forth with them. It's, you

1:02:23know,

1:02:24just showing how much trouble I had even

1:02:26getting answers from them. I emailed

1:02:29them three times to find out if I could

1:02:31have an appointment with them. Nobody

1:02:32answered me. So I wind up going into the

1:02:34office.

1:02:35Uh they told me he wasn't there, so I

1:02:37had to come back. I set up an

1:02:38appointment with him. He told me, "Oh,

1:02:40you can you come in the next day?" I

1:02:41said, "Yes, that's no problem." And then

1:02:43I then the day that I go there at 9:00

1:02:45when I'm sitting down in his office,

1:02:48he emails me telling me, "Oh, I'm sorry.

1:02:50I had an emergency. I couldn't make it."

1:02:51And that was so unacceptable. And this

1:02:54is when Missy chimed in and she helped

1:02:56me out. And she tried to make me feel

1:02:59comfortable because I was a wreck in

1:03:00that in that office talking about um the

1:03:03fact that I might have to leave in

1:03:05December with nowhere to go. Cuz I don't

1:03:08know exactly I just like I said, I just

1:03:10gave in all my W-2 forms and all that.

1:03:12She told me basically it could take a

1:03:14month. I also had asked her if she could

1:03:16provide me with um the people that they

1:03:19are sending our our information to. She

1:03:22couldn't provide that right there. She

1:03:24They don't know. Because they keep

1:03:26saying

1:03:27I'm sorry?

1:03:28>> That is a very important point. Who is

1:03:29the third party accounting that's going

1:03:32to review her documents?

1:03:33>> And that's these people. All right. And

1:03:34I told

1:03:36if it was going to be somewhere they're

1:03:38going to email our information to or if

1:03:40they you know if someone's coming to

1:03:42their office to order the or order the

1:03:45Sorry. But um

1:03:47no information and and again I asked

1:03:50three times for it to be put in writing

1:03:52so that when I came here I had something

1:03:54to

1:03:55give you but no one gives me any

1:03:57answers.

1:03:58And this is something that

1:04:00you know that building

1:04:03they give you a hard time about setting

1:04:05up appointments and you know talking to

1:04:06them and it's always a problem.

1:04:09>> I think

1:04:10>> Thank you.

1:04:11>> It's a lot of moving pieces here but I

1:04:13think

1:04:15um

1:04:16we we should

1:04:18um

1:04:18well the council members down there um

1:04:21should convene a meeting just with the

1:04:24community and have some lawyers

1:04:30Um just so people

1:04:33are aware of the actual rights because

1:04:36you guys do have rights.

1:04:38Um this body is not you know authorized

1:04:41to give legal advice or whatever.

1:04:43Um but we do we have contacts with the

1:04:47representation so you guys can be privy

1:04:50to that information.

1:04:52Um

1:04:53this is

1:04:55this is the stuff that in really being

1:04:57the most with these developers is like

1:05:00that human element is stripped from the

1:05:03equation.

1:05:04Um you're talking about people that have

1:05:06kids. You're talking about people that

1:05:07work here. Talking about senior

1:05:09citizens. Talking about people who have

1:05:11been in this community for the past 30

1:05:14years.

1:05:15Um so the the blatant

1:05:18like disregard for urgency of people

1:05:21knowing their living stability for the

1:05:23next 90 days is is it's really baffling.

1:05:27Um but I work with my colleagues as well

1:05:30because this is something that really

1:05:32really hits my heart. I'm one of raising

1:05:34Jersey City so like one of the only

1:05:37reasons that I'm still even doing this

1:05:39political stuff is to represent the

1:05:42interests of long-term Jersey City

1:05:44residents.

1:05:45Um so I will, you know,

1:05:48be involved with them in any way I need

1:05:51to be to ensure that one, you guys are

1:05:54educated on the process on what's

1:05:56supposed to take place, that you legally

1:05:58know what can and can't happen with you.

1:06:01Um so with that being said, the next

1:06:03young lady, if you can state and spell

1:06:07Say and spell your name.

1:06:08>> My name is Anna Musimova. I am number 15

1:06:11on the board of commissioners.

1:06:13>> Oh, you were sitting here with no

1:06:14attention.

1:06:15>> Can you spell?

1:06:17A n n a m u s i m o v a.

1:06:21Um

1:06:22I um

1:06:23I got up to speak because of what you

1:06:25said sir just now because

1:06:27the most outrageous thing about what's

1:06:29happening

1:06:30it's not even, of course, the main thing

1:06:33that people who live in this Newport

1:06:35community

1:06:36people who have formed this community

1:06:38generationally

1:06:40over the past 40 years, 30 years, people

1:06:43came here in the '90s, people raised

1:06:45their children, people raised their

1:06:46grandchildren here. And now a lot of my

1:06:49neighbors are retiring. They're

1:06:50wheelchair bound, they're older, they

1:06:53are

1:06:54they deserve to live where they where

1:06:56they built their life. This is the

1:06:58community built by

1:07:00actually modern income people because

1:07:02there's

1:07:03you know, financially more successful

1:07:06young people who come in, they study a

1:07:08year then one year they leave 4 years

1:07:09later or 2 years later. They come in,

1:07:11they go, they come and go. God bless

1:07:13them, but we are here raising our kids,

1:07:16doing our work, taking care of this

1:07:19communities like fabric, fabric.

1:07:22But it's okay, we all know this. What

1:07:23made me actually get up and speak is

1:07:25because

1:07:26what outraged me the most is the sneaky

1:07:28way that this has been

1:07:31um

1:07:31>> Yeah.

1:07:32>> that hit this has been announced to all

1:07:34of us because

1:07:36not not announced. Everyone got a sneaky

1:07:39little letter in their mailbox

1:07:43that is connected to their

1:07:45recertification date. So, for example,

1:07:48ours is up in November, so they sent it

1:07:50to us in October to give us 30 days.

1:07:52You know, my neighbor, maybe hers is in

1:07:54May, so she got it in April and she got

1:07:56it in May. Same thing. So, everybody got

1:07:58a little letter in unmarked envelope.

1:08:01This is something some people I showed

1:08:03the letter to they had no idea what I

1:08:04was talking about. I could see the color

1:08:06drain out of their face because they're

1:08:08shocked to hear it.

1:08:10And that is the sneakiest thing because

1:08:13in my building, whenever the water gets

1:08:15shut off or there's Christmas or

1:08:18there's, you know, inspection or

1:08:20something, the flyer gets posted in the

1:08:22elevator and slide under my door. Why

1:08:25something as important as our livelihood

1:08:27is not

1:08:29is not announced. Why there's no

1:08:31community meeting? Moderate income

1:08:33program residents, please show up at

1:08:356:00 p.m. in the lobby. They have

1:08:36something to tell you.

1:08:37That is the scariest part. So, sir, I'm

1:08:39sorry, I don't know your name because I

1:08:40was late. But when you said

1:08:43that we need to be kind of more

1:08:47we need to be receiving this information

1:08:49at in one go and perhaps if it comes to

1:08:52a legal fight, perhaps if like the

1:08:54people need to be together

1:08:56so that even in the past week I ended up

1:08:58texting like

1:08:59seven different people the same

1:09:01information about this meeting. It would

1:09:03be helpful. I don't know there was a

1:09:04WhatsApp group or something like

1:09:06some kind of

1:09:07Yes, yes, yes, yes.

1:09:11So I'm just saying that please

1:09:13my neighbors be prepared to organize

1:09:15together.

1:09:17And you guys be prepared to see us as

1:09:19more of a one unit because little by

1:09:21little, one by one we all went through

1:09:23the same emotions of panic and the

1:09:26feeling of the ground from underneath

1:09:28our feet and aloneness. And then little

1:09:31by little, luckily, we talked to each

1:09:33other.

1:09:34Mothers, people talked to each other. We

1:09:36all know each other. So eventually we

1:09:38all meet up and say, "Hey, you heard

1:09:39about this?"

1:09:40But it was

1:09:43kind of offensive that they didn't

1:09:45address us as the residents. That's

1:09:48disrespectful.

1:09:50Because any other issue

1:09:52they address us in the building. But

1:09:54here it was very sneaky, one by one. We

1:09:56didn't receive this notice to us. Some

1:09:58of us even didn't. This room would be

1:10:00way more full if all of my neighbors

1:10:03received it. I know at least five people

1:10:06who I told this to and they had no clue

1:10:08because the notice is not up.

1:10:11That is very unfair because it's going

1:10:13to affect everybody. They said July

1:10:1528th, 2026 is when they arrived at this

1:10:18decision

1:10:19and when they signed this paperwork or

1:10:21whatever.

1:10:22So then why do we find out piecemeal?

1:10:25Why they don't call us all so we know?

1:10:28Because some people need more than 1

1:10:31month to gather their stuff.

1:10:34Some people need more than 1 month to

1:10:35even overcome like the panic that sets

1:10:39in, you know? It's very upsetting and I

1:10:40don't want to say anything more about

1:10:41emotions, but I do hope that um

1:10:44my neighbors organize and that we are

1:10:46facing this as one

1:10:48entity rather than disjointed and

1:10:50scattered people.

1:10:52>> Yes.

1:10:52>> Okay? Um

1:10:54thank you all for listening to us and

1:10:55thank you for the work you're doing.

1:10:56Thank you.

1:10:57>> You're welcome.

1:11:00>> I just have a question.

1:11:02I have a question if I may.

1:11:04For anyone from Newport who can answer

1:11:06for me.

1:11:07Um, in order to that that abatement that

1:11:10was proposed in

1:11:112025 to renew

1:11:13>> [snorts]

1:11:14>> uh

1:11:15the

1:11:16affordability

1:11:18uh for the probably another 30 year this

1:11:20was probably. Uh I wasn't there in the

1:11:23document.

1:11:23>> It was was this we were

1:11:26getting ready to expire and they wanted

1:11:27to do

1:11:29No, the thing was

1:11:30It was 30 I think it was 30 years.

1:11:33So

1:11:35>> Usually with any abatement which is a

1:11:37new construction or a major

1:11:40renovation or rehab of some sort. Um has

1:11:43there been a major renovation or rehab

1:11:45at 30 or 40 Newport Parkway in the past

1:11:48decade?

1:11:51It's the facade.

1:11:52>> The lobby is nothing like

1:11:55>> They're starting the facade now.

1:12:00>> And if someone someone comes to the mic

1:12:02who have the answer to that question.

1:12:09>> Say your name for the record, please.

1:12:11>> I'm sorry. All commentary has to be

1:12:14recorded on the microphone.

1:12:15Okay.

1:12:16>> Okay, you can put it up to your mouth or

1:12:17hold it there.

1:12:23There you go.

1:12:24>> So, my name is Cassandra Richards.

1:12:26That's C A S S A N D R A Richards with

1:12:30an S not Z.

1:12:31>> Yes, okay.

1:12:32>> Okay, so what was the question?

1:12:34>> So, have there been any major

1:12:36renovations or rehab to 30 or 40 Newport

1:12:39Parkway in the past

1:12:4110 years?

1:12:43>> As uh within the past 6 months to a

1:12:46year, yes. They did, like the gentleman

1:12:48said, a facade. So, they kind of for my

1:12:51building which is 35 Riverdrive South,

1:12:55they

1:12:56did some modernization to it, but it,

1:12:59you know,

1:13:00it could be better. But with the other

1:13:02buildings,

1:13:03they did, you know, the modernization.

1:13:05So, for simplicity purposes, let's just

1:13:07say yes. Prole had it years ago. They

1:13:11were supposed to replace all of the

1:13:13windows. And I do know factually that

1:13:15they did do a model apartment, you know,

1:13:18that they did replace all of the

1:13:19windows, but

1:13:21I never heard anything anything more

1:13:23about that. And I think the windows are

1:13:25a major issue because when you run the

1:13:28heating unit, it's still The H5 units

1:13:30are really outdated. I've lived in

1:13:32Newport since '93.

1:13:35>> Windows.

1:13:36>> So, when you run the units, it's kind of

1:13:38like you stand here, you feel heat, and

1:13:40then there's air underneath there. So,

1:13:42there were talks that they wanted to do

1:13:44all of that, you know, so all those

1:13:45things

1:13:46there's been talks of it. So, in terms

1:13:48of major, you know, renovations, the

1:13:52lobby. The lobby. Oh, I'm sorry. The

1:13:55laundry room.

1:13:57>> [laughter]

1:13:59>> They did the laundry room.

1:14:01>> Did you live your entire time at River

1:14:03Riverdrive South or office?

1:14:05>> Cleo had the best of both worlds. I've

1:14:07managed to live in all four of the

1:14:08buildings.

1:14:10>> [laughter]

1:14:12>> I started off in a studio, a

1:14:14one-bedroom, a junior two-bedroom, a

1:14:15three-bedroom. So, that Imagine my

1:14:18surprise when I got that notice. Well,

1:14:20actually, I didn't physically get the

1:14:22notice. I got the email communication,

1:14:25the mass communication that went out,

1:14:27announcement to everyone saying

1:14:28effective July 28th, 2026, that Newport

1:14:32is no longer participating in the

1:14:33program.

1:14:34>> Unfortunately, I

1:14:36missed that at all. I just missed the

1:14:38cutoff when they were

1:14:39>> They were actually putting the cute

1:14:41notes in

1:14:49Okay. [laughter] for the record, I'm

1:14:51sorry because there's a lot of people

1:14:52talking, so I will just put on the

1:14:54record, everyone did not get that email.

1:14:57Thank you.

1:14:58>> Can I have a email?

1:15:00>> Okay, so I missed but when I said

1:15:01everyone got it, it was my assumption

1:15:04that it was sent to everyone cuz I got

1:15:06it via an email blast. So let's just say

1:15:09unless you're registered, you know, your

1:15:11email address is registered some sort of

1:15:13way, then perhaps you didn't get it. I

1:15:16know the I like to know what's going on

1:15:17where I live, so I got 19 email

1:15:19addresses connected. If you sending

1:15:21something, I need to know. So I got it,

1:15:24unfortunately everyone didn't get it. So

1:15:26but I had already gotten my lease

1:15:28renewal packet. I didn't get the

1:15:31personal notice. So but I had my package

1:15:34and I had already gone and said, "Oh my

1:15:35god, my heart like jumped out of my

1:15:37chest like now what? Like what's going

1:15:39on?" So I'm hearing stories that people

1:15:41are getting packages with no numbers. My

1:15:44had a number. Mine had my new rate, you

1:15:48know, the new amount, the new security

1:15:51that's requested. So I didn't I haven't

1:15:53seen one of those without numbers. So

1:15:56>> Quick question, without the closing, the

1:15:58actual amount, how big like

1:16:01>> It wasn't drastic. I can tell you I

1:16:03think

1:16:03>> No, you don't you don't have to you

1:16:05don't have to tell. That's all I just

1:16:06want um

1:16:08If I could ask anyone who has a letter

1:16:10since it's multiple multiple

1:16:13addresses, if you could email it just so

1:16:16we can make sure that uniformity of the

1:16:18communications and that affordability

1:16:20restrictions are being ending for all of

1:16:22the units at all the different

1:16:24addresses. So where whoever gets it, you

1:16:26could have a copy of your letter.

1:16:28>> Oh, and I have a cheat note for you. I

1:16:30have it.

1:16:31I I did I did manage to get a copy of it

1:16:33so So there's I think this is what

1:16:36really bothered everyone, especially me,

1:16:38is the

1:16:40convoluted way of wording things. Like

1:16:42they said, the biggest issue here, the

1:16:44keyword today is transparency.

1:16:47Um,

1:16:48this is new.

1:16:50So, it says, "As a courtesy, the

1:16:52landlord is willing for a limited time

1:16:53to consider offering a courtesy renewal

1:16:55rate to residents who can demonstrate

1:16:57that they would continue to income and

1:16:59don't qualify for the moderate income

1:17:02program and who certify that their

1:17:03apartment is their primary residence.

1:17:05This courtesy renewal rate is

1:17:07discretionary and is not required by the

1:17:10moderate income housing program and then

1:17:12all those acronym guidelines or any rent

1:17:15control or rent leveling ordinance. This

1:17:17courtesy rate will not be available

1:17:20indefinitely."

1:17:22"If you would like to be considered for

1:17:23this courtesy renewal rate, you must

1:17:26timely verify your annual income,

1:17:29primary residence status, and household

1:17:30size."

1:17:31>> What is the courtesy

1:17:34renewal rate?

1:17:35>> If Yeah, if you could send that letter

1:17:37so that we can take a look at this. Um,

1:17:40to the RAPSIC,

1:17:43Rent Protection Commission and

1:17:44Education.

1:17:45Yeah,

1:17:46it's all right. Yeah, and

1:17:48walk us up here as well.

1:17:49Um,

1:17:50so yeah, then then we can analyze that

1:17:52letter. It sounds like some others um,

1:17:54have already sent us that, but please

1:17:55please do send us that and then we can

1:17:57get some more um, of a detailed response

1:18:00on on that kind of language. Absolutely.

1:18:03>> So, yeah, I mean, I would probably

1:18:05encourage everyone to go ahead and apply

1:18:07for it just to see what it is. Um,

1:18:10Cuz it's it's non-binding, right? Like

1:18:11you don't have to accept it if you don't

1:18:13like the number they give you.

1:18:15Is that Okay, then I I would probably

1:18:17encourage everyone to go ahead and and

1:18:19apply for it and see what it is and then

1:18:21stay in communication with us and we can

1:18:23start getting a sense of of what this

1:18:25courtesy means if they won't come out

1:18:27and say it. Um, I also had a follow-up

1:18:30question um, Ms. Hernandez, um, you

1:18:34mentioned having a

1:18:38that you spoke to someone named Missy.

1:18:41You were supposed to speak to Donnie and

1:18:43and

1:18:44um

1:18:45you were under the impression that this

1:18:47program extended until 2028 and then

1:18:49Missy said, "No, we left early." Did you

1:18:52Did you see any documents associated

1:18:54with that? Were there any documents

1:18:57on the microphone

1:18:58one on the microphone I'll give you your

1:19:002 minutes back.

1:19:02>> I have an article

1:19:04that um states that

1:19:06the program was expiring in 2028.

1:19:08>> Is that the top into article? Cuz we we

1:19:11also put that up.

1:19:15Um cuz cuz yeah, we we wanted to see the

1:19:17actual documents and and we will

1:19:19probably have to do some digging on our

1:19:21side if no one has the document that

1:19:22says it expires in 2028. We'll probably

1:19:25also reach out to the author of that

1:19:27article.

1:19:28>> The article The article says 2028, but

1:19:30she says according to them to her, they

1:19:33already exited the program.

1:19:36Um which doesn't make sense if what

1:19:39you're doing one by one it doesn't um

1:19:42it fit.

1:19:44>> Um while she looks for that Councilwoman

1:19:46level looking back at my Council meeting

1:19:48notes from November 25th, 2025 when the

1:19:52abatement was voted down 161

1:19:55one yes, six no's, one abstention.

1:19:58Uh the current abatement expires in

1:20:00December of 2028. It's 15% affordable

1:20:04currently. It would have been brought up

1:20:06to 20% affordable with the abatement um

1:20:09per Jim McCants who provided numbers at

1:20:12the time. Um it would have been a $3.8

1:20:16million payment in lieu of taxes. Uh

1:20:20and that was again ordinance 25-126

1:20:25for the record.

1:20:26>> Thank you. So it seems like they may be

1:20:28trying to exit their property. Is that

1:20:30the top into article? We have that here.

1:20:32Okay.

1:20:32>> Yeah, yes, it is.

1:20:33>> Okay. Yes, yes, cuz know we're all in

1:20:34the same boat. Thank you.

1:20:36Um so if if they are trying to exit

1:20:38early, you know, and and we'll look at

1:20:40the documents. If they are trying to

1:20:41exit early, that may buy us some wiggle

1:20:44room. It might buy might buy us another

1:20:46year and a half um to try and figure out

1:20:48something more more permanent.

1:20:50>> And I I do just want to say for the

1:20:52record,

1:20:53this is so profoundly frustrating. Like

1:20:57this is so profoundly frustrating and

1:20:59you all are doing the right thing by

1:21:00getting organized, talking to each

1:21:02other, and building community in these

1:21:04buildings. My role is to support you all

1:21:07as an organizer and also fight in City

1:21:09Hall to make sure that we can find a

1:21:11solution here. But it just does not make

1:21:14sense to me that we should have to face

1:21:16a choice between another 30-year tax

1:21:19break for the LeFrak's or having you all

1:21:23get screwed with an

1:21:25an incredible egregious rent hike up to

1:21:27a market rate all of a sudden. That is

1:21:30not the choice we should have to face.

1:21:32That is just not the choice we should

1:21:34have to face and so I I I want to figure

1:21:37out a solution out of this kind of

1:21:39binary

1:21:40um because you all deserve better and

1:21:42the whole city deserves better. Uh

1:21:44LeFrak's have more money than God. And

1:21:46let's let's be real about it, right? So

1:21:48so we we shouldn't we shouldn't just

1:21:50have to kowtow to whatever they want to

1:21:52do. Um I'm I'm sorry, man. I want to

1:21:54give you a second. I know that the

1:21:56speaker before was also I think

1:21:58finishing finishing your statement and

1:22:00>> That's all right.

1:22:01>> You know, I

1:22:02I

1:22:02>> On the microphone.

1:22:05>> I was

1:22:07kind of sort of done, but I did want to

1:22:09address one of the questions that you I

1:22:12guess I don't know if it's

1:22:13a question or statement mentioning

1:22:15something about

1:22:17having to

1:22:25It was something you mentioned. I can't

1:22:27remember it, but

1:22:29>> If they were giving us the

1:22:32>> No.

1:22:33If I remember The one of the questions

1:22:35probably was like third or fourth or

1:22:36something like that. But the bottom line

1:22:38is that when you get your When I get

1:22:40mine, let me just retract that. When I

1:22:42get my lease renewal,

1:22:45every year my lease renewal has not been

1:22:48The verbage has not remained the same.

1:22:50>> Exactly.

1:22:51>> When I first moved there, the for a

1:22:53couple of years it was consistent, but

1:22:55as time went on the verbage changed. So,

1:22:59I just wanted to point out you made some

1:23:02You made You made some comments

1:23:03regarding what your lease said. Be sure

1:23:05that when you make those references,

1:23:07that you're looking at your most recent

1:23:09lease. Cuz they do change over the

1:23:11years. So, while you're signing things

1:23:13because when I first I'll give you an

1:23:15example. When I first moved here to

1:23:17Newport, dogs weren't allowed.

1:23:19Now there's more dogs than people. And

1:23:21now there's a clause I think I

1:23:23Sorry, I have a coughing fit. I love my

1:23:24dogs.

1:23:25>> You need some water?

1:23:26>> No water. But I say that to say that the

1:23:29lease has changed.

1:23:31>> Yeah.

1:23:31>> It's now a no smoking building. That

1:23:35wasn't the case when I moved there. So,

1:23:37again, when we stand here and make these

1:23:40comments, I'm not an advocate for

1:23:42anyone. I'm an advocate advocate for

1:23:44Cassandra, my family, and my community.

1:23:47But just make sure, you know, where

1:23:50That's what I'm careful not to say

1:23:51things that what because I don't know my

1:23:53lease by memory. I'm just here with

1:23:55regards to I can't afford my apartment

1:23:58at market rate.

1:24:00And I happen to have one of the larger

1:24:02units. So, I have a three-bedroom

1:24:04apartment. Anyone that's in this room

1:24:06knows a three-bedroom in downtown Jersey

1:24:09City waterfront community

1:24:11is not going to cut it.

1:24:15Thank you. That's time.

1:24:21>> So, I'm glad Cassandra has mentioned at

1:24:24least my name is

1:24:26Deonka D E O N C A last name Williams W

1:24:32I L L I A M S

1:24:35I'm glad lady before Cassandra mentioned

1:24:38that each year the research vacation

1:24:40package changes because someone

1:24:42mentioned to me that they're asking for

1:24:45as part of the new process for tenants

1:24:47to get guarantors

1:24:49which is like an organization that you

1:24:50would pay the money to and it's only the

1:24:52guarantor that they choose and I'm not

1:24:54sure where that came from that's

1:24:56completely wacky because there are

1:24:58regulations within the NJSA which is the

1:25:00New Jersey Statutes Annotated. They have

1:25:03a section on affordable housing and all

1:25:05we have to do each year is we do certify

1:25:07our income and our taxes and I don't

1:25:09know what they're adding this for but

1:25:11this seems like another scam because

1:25:14when I looked up the organization

1:25:15because it's only one company they want

1:25:17people to use. I'm reading that they

1:25:19want the money to be paid directly to

1:25:20that company not even to the landlord.

1:25:22So, I don't even know what's going on

1:25:23with that. That just seems really crazy.

1:25:33>> Okay, so so

1:25:36so basically what you're saying is

1:25:38all of the applications

1:25:40the tenants have to pay for?

1:25:42>> So, each year we do income and tax

1:25:45verification but they've been adding

1:25:47more and more documents like the one I

1:25:49read saying this to be your only

1:25:50apartment. They had a sign one last year

1:25:53saying that the building is not rent

1:25:55controlled. They have one signing saying

1:25:58that the building is in a flood zone.

1:25:59They're just adding more stuff. I don't

1:26:00know what their motive is but it just

1:26:03seems really suspicious because

1:26:04according to the the regulations in the

1:26:06NJSA we're only supposed to give an

1:26:08income and

1:26:10tax verification each year. All that

1:26:12extra stuff is just to cover somebody's

1:26:14track and supposedly tenants have been

1:26:16telling me the other neighbors that

1:26:18they're going to be asking to do a

1:26:19guarantor. They want to run your credit

1:26:21to do a recertification. That's all

1:26:23unnecessary.

1:26:24That's not right.

1:26:26Part of the the regulations, that's just

1:26:28something extra to benefit them and to

1:26:30screw us over.

1:26:35>> Thank you.

1:26:41>> And who is the third speaker?

1:26:44>> Please say your name and spell it out

1:26:45for the record.

1:26:46>> My name is Carissa Cunningham. C A R I S

1:26:50S A.

1:26:51And then Cunningham, C U N N I N G H A

1:26:55M.

1:26:57>> You have 5 minutes.

1:26:59>> Um I want to start off by being very

1:27:01clear that while I am Councilman

1:27:02Brooks's Chief of Staff, I am here

1:27:05tonight not in that capacity.

1:27:08I am here in my capacity as a tenant in

1:27:10Jersey City and as a member of the

1:27:11Jersey City Tenants Union.

1:27:14First, I want to talk about my building

1:27:17on Lexington Avenue.

1:27:19When I moved in, I had to buy my own air

1:27:21conditioning units.

1:27:23The floorboard heating units are falling

1:27:25apart with exposed wiring. My floors are

1:27:28cracked so badly that my landlord

1:27:30wouldn't even consider fixing them

1:27:32before I moved in because he told me it

1:27:34would cost too much.

1:27:36The other day I saw the largest roach of

1:27:38my life. And I should know, I'm from

1:27:40Texas where everything is bigger,

1:27:41including the roaches.

1:27:44I was told that last winter the heat

1:27:46didn't work and the tenants had to use

1:27:47space heaters.

1:27:49It's about to be a cold winter.

1:27:51And to top it all off, my fellow tenants

1:27:53and I aren't even protected by rent

1:27:55control because we live in a four-unit

1:27:57building.

1:27:59As many of you have read in the Hudson

1:28:01County View, three tenant associations

1:28:03in the Jersey City Tenants Union are

1:28:05currently on rent strike, meaning they

1:28:07are withholding rent collectively.

1:28:1119 and 25 Kensington, 150 and 154

1:28:15Belmont, and 429 Bergen, which has been

1:28:18on red strike since November of 2025.

1:28:23The conditions in these buildings are

1:28:24far worse than the conditions in my own.

1:28:27I know because I have knocked doors in

1:28:29most of them multiple times.

1:28:32Ceilings are caving in. Rats, mice, and

1:28:35roaches pour out of exposed holes in

1:28:37ceilings, walls, and floors. At 150 and

1:28:40154 Belmont, the buildings are literally

1:28:43sinking into the ground, the walls

1:28:45separating from ceilings in multiple

1:28:47apartments.

1:28:49These are rent control buildings.

1:28:52But, that doesn't mean the landlords

1:28:54follow the law.

1:28:56TENANTS REPORT ILLEGAL RENT increases

1:28:59and repeated attempts to push out

1:29:00long-term tenants. And when tenants

1:29:02organize and fight back, they put their

1:29:04own housing at risk. Tenants in Jersey

1:29:07City are in the middle of a class war.

1:29:11We are forced to live IN SQUALOR AMONG

1:29:13UNCONTROLLED infestations of every kind

1:29:16of pest. We are exposed to extreme heat

1:29:18and bitter cold. Our rents are raised by

1:29:21unconscionable amounts,

1:29:24both legally and illegally.

1:29:27Tenants are intimidated by fake

1:29:30inspectors

1:29:32and uh manipulative and aggressive

1:29:35supers. People are kicked out onto the

1:29:37street and are forced to sleep overnight

1:29:39in hallways because they have nowhere

1:29:41else to go but shelters that can be

1:29:42themselves filthy, infested, and

1:29:44carceral.

1:29:46And housing instability does not exist

1:29:48in isolation from the rest of our

1:29:49system. Losing your home can mean

1:29:52encounters with police, jail, prison, or

1:29:54ICE detention. The consequences of

1:29:57eviction extend far beyond the loss of

1:29:59an apartment.

1:30:00And when you report these conditions to

1:30:02the city, what do we get?

1:30:04In the best case scenario, too often we

1:30:06get fines that are insignificant

1:30:08compared to the exorbitant rents

1:30:10landlords collect from us every single

1:30:12month.

1:30:13It is these realities that have forced

1:30:15tenants to recognize our own power

1:30:16through organization. We will no longer

1:30:19tolerate these conditions. My fellow

1:30:22tenants on rent strike inspire me to

1:30:23keep fighting. They inspire me to talk

1:30:25to my own neighbors and to begin forming

1:30:27our own tenants association. They are

1:30:30risking everything to protect their

1:30:32homes. They make me proud to be a tenant

1:30:34in Jersey City and they make me even

1:30:35prouder to be in a tenants union. So you

1:30:37ask us, what is to be done?

1:30:41Expand rent control. Protect our right

1:30:43to organize. Demand that the city get

1:30:46ever more serious about inspections,

1:30:48violations, enforcement, and summary

1:30:50nuisance.

1:30:51Create a receivership program so that

1:30:53landlords who systematically refuse to

1:30:55maintain their properties cannot simply

1:30:57collect rent indefinitely while their

1:30:59buildings fall apart around their

1:31:00tenants.

1:31:01And finally, look at the tenants

1:31:04organizing across the city.

1:31:10Look at the tenants risking eviction to

1:31:13protect their homes and the homes of

1:31:14their neighbors.

1:31:16Look at us

1:31:18wielding collective power.

1:31:22And ask yourself,

1:31:24am I doing as much as the tenants who

1:31:26are risking eviction to protect their

1:31:28homes?

1:31:30And before I go, I want to say to the

1:31:32tenants in here,

1:31:33um all of you uh I want all of you from

1:31:36the same four buildings, I want you to

1:31:38raise your hand right now.

1:31:40Raise that hand. I want you to look at

1:31:41each other. You are not alone tonight.

1:31:46You are not alone. Get each other's

1:31:48numbers. Get in a WhatsApp group. Join

1:31:51the Jersey City Tenants Union, jctu.org.

1:31:54>> 12 seconds.

1:31:55>> Join our fight. We are not alone.

1:32:04And for the record, I live at 166.69

1:32:07units.

1:32:11>> Great time.

1:32:16>> Can you state and spell your name for

1:32:17the record, please?

1:32:18>> Yes, hello. I'm Morenike Lambert. It's m

1:32:21o r e n i k e Last name l a m b e r t.

1:32:25Um I live at 23 University Place

1:32:28Boulevard and I'm here tonight to talk

1:32:30about um rubs, the ratio utility billing

1:32:33system. I was here last time when we

1:32:36didn't have quorum, so I had to come

1:32:37back. Um but basically, they've updated

1:32:41it a bit.

1:32:42But I think the issue is in my building

1:32:44I was kind of I stay abreast of what's

1:32:47going on and I never liked the rubs um

1:32:50because it doesn't feel like an

1:32:51equitable system. I'm

1:32:54uh single person who for the most part

1:32:58uh as long as I've lived in my building

1:33:00for about 2 years, I work not from home,

1:33:04I work in an office, and I have a pretty

1:33:08high water and sewer bill, which doesn't

1:33:11really make sense to me. And so, I

1:33:14always wanted more transparency around

1:33:16that billing system what rubs which rubs

1:33:19has offered. I want to lift up a couple

1:33:21of things.

1:33:23Um so, there are

1:33:26out-of-town suppliers

1:33:28uh of water and sewer um the utility

1:33:31providers.

1:33:32Uh in our case, it seems to be that that

1:33:37um

1:33:38supplier really dropped the ball in many

1:33:40ways in complying with the rubs. Um

1:33:44my our management tried to be

1:33:47in some ways responsive, especially when

1:33:49I looped in Council member Joe Brooks

1:33:51and Carissa who um who is really great.

1:33:54Um but I had put in a formal request on

1:33:57June 1st to get um

1:34:02uh those itemized billings uh for the

1:34:05building

1:34:06um and I don't think that we and then

1:34:09there's a certain amount of time like 20

1:34:11business days or whatever. Um it wasn't

1:34:13until late August that we actually

1:34:17started getting some of the things that

1:34:18they were

1:34:20um

1:34:21complied to do under the law.

1:34:23Um and one of the reasons for the delay

1:34:25was that third-party supplier. So I want

1:34:27to say that might be something to A pay

1:34:29attention to and make note of um in the

1:34:32existing legislation or maybe future

1:34:35legislation. And also I think the

1:34:37formulas are something to think about.

1:34:39In my building there is a formula for

1:34:43um it's split into two. Um all of the

1:34:46all of the I believe the building but

1:34:49they do not use the communal spaces

1:34:53technically.

1:34:54Um but they add up all of the water and

1:34:57sewer usage and then they divide it in

1:34:59two and it's one is by occupancy and the

1:35:02second is by

1:35:04um square footage. Which I don't think

1:35:06necessarily is an equitable way to

1:35:09determine utility use.

1:35:11Um I have a larger apartment

1:35:14and I'm already paying additional rent

1:35:16but as a single person who doesn't work

1:35:17from home I am not using the water that

1:35:20I am being billed for.

1:35:21Um and it's still unclear if the

1:35:24commercial

1:35:25uh spaces and businesses in our building

1:35:29like Five Guys and the pharmacy and the

1:35:32uh nail place Cuticles are also be

1:35:35included being included in our billing

1:35:38because they say they only have one

1:35:39meter. So if you only have one meter,

1:35:42how do you determine what the commercial

1:35:45spaces are paying and the residential

1:35:47spaces are paying? To this point it is

1:35:49yet unclear.

1:35:51So that's what I wanted to lift up

1:35:53today.

1:35:54Um thank you.

1:35:56>> Thank you so much.

1:35:57>> Well, well, let's let me

1:35:59uh let me ask you a question. You may

1:35:59not be able to answer this.

1:36:01>> Hi.

1:36:01>> Hey, what's going on?

1:36:03How's everything?

1:36:04>> Good. Thank you.

1:36:04>> Um

1:36:06are you aware if the

1:36:08um

1:36:09this business is on a triple net lease?

1:36:12>> I am not aware of that.

1:36:13>> That's something I think we we need to

1:36:15find out because if it is only one

1:36:17meter, you know, the triple net they pay

1:36:20their own So, they could be paying for

1:36:22water

1:36:24like

1:36:25they could be

1:36:26the owner and they might be getting the

1:36:29twice the money from this building.

1:36:32You know what I mean?

1:36:33>> Possibly.

1:36:34>> So,

1:36:35you know, I I think that's something

1:36:37that um

1:36:39we can we can look into.

1:36:40>> Okay.

1:36:41>> All right. And and also for the Newport

1:36:43residents, um I just want everybody to

1:36:45look to my left. I want to point out the

1:36:47media.

1:36:48This is not the White House, so we do

1:36:50allow men in here. Hi, Andy. Raise your

1:36:52hand.

1:36:53So, if you want to tell your story,

1:36:54Andy's here. Destiny's here for so we

1:36:57can get everything out in the open as

1:37:00well.

1:37:01>> Um and I It sounds like Chris already

1:37:03has contact information with you. I

1:37:05thought so. We'll be in touch about

1:37:06this.

1:37:07Um this year we worked on a lot of

1:37:09legislation. Really wish we could have

1:37:11gone a lot farther, but a lot of

1:37:13limitations from the state. Um

1:37:15talking with folks at the state level

1:37:17about going even farther to limit these

1:37:20kinds of practices cuz they just They're

1:37:21already bullying Chris. Um but yeah,

1:37:23please let us be in conversation. Thank

1:37:24you so much for coming back today first

1:37:26of all and and explain your situation.

1:37:29>> I'll get your contact info from Chris,

1:37:30so

1:37:31>> For sure. I'd love to talk more. Thank

1:37:32you.

1:37:35If there's anyone else that would like

1:37:36to put their comments on the record,

1:37:37please line up so that we can know how

1:37:39many more people we have left. Thank

1:37:41you.

1:37:43>> Jessica

1:37:44from the at 155 Washington Street, one

1:37:47of the Portside Crew.

1:37:49But when I first moved to Jersey City,

1:37:51I'm not born and raised here, but here

1:37:52for about 10 years. When I first moved

1:37:54to Jersey City, I lived in Newport.

1:37:57And after living there for 5 years and

1:37:59several years of market rate

1:38:00adjustments, I sought a more affordable

1:38:03place in Jersey City.

1:38:05Little did I know that after that first

1:38:07year, I'd get a market rate adjustment

1:38:08of 35 34% increase.

1:38:12Which

1:38:13shocked me, beyond belief.

1:38:15>> So, what was the percentage?

1:38:16>> 34. 34.

1:38:17>> I didn't hear that.

1:38:18>> Yeah.

1:38:19Um we've been fighting for a long time,

1:38:21and one of the things that happened with

1:38:22us is that we

1:38:24also had this moment of realization that

1:38:26collective effort was more effective

1:38:28than singular effort, and there's a

1:38:30reason why you're getting piecemeal

1:38:31communication.

1:38:32>> Right.

1:38:33>> So, support your relationships that

1:38:34you're building here, so you can serve

1:38:36together as a coalition to fight this.

1:38:39I would recommend.

1:38:40>> No.

1:38:41>> Um

1:38:43we figured out that when we were talking

1:38:45with our neighbors what was going on

1:38:47that we were told one by one also.

1:38:49Um and we know in Jersey City that on

1:38:51paper tenants are protected, and in

1:38:53practice a tenant who suspects their

1:38:55rent is wrong has to figure out on their

1:38:58own whether their building is covered by

1:38:59the existing ordinances and laws about

1:39:01rent control affordable housing.

1:39:04And then they have to fight on their

1:39:06own. They have to find records that are

1:39:07hard to get, files on paperwork, and

1:39:09wait.

1:39:10And most people give up, and many never

1:39:12start.

1:39:14You have the power to change that

1:39:16with the laws that you establish in this

1:39:18city, and be proactive. And that is a

1:39:20systemic barrier that is first and

1:39:22foremost on your list.

1:39:25The law only works if people can reach

1:39:26it. So, I ask you to consider four

1:39:28things.

1:39:30First, proactive enforcement. What's

1:39:33happening right now is we wait until

1:39:35there's a problem reported by enough

1:39:37people that make enough noise that the

1:39:39press gets attention

1:39:41and publishes something about it, and

1:39:43then starts to hold the elected

1:39:44officials accountable. You switch the

1:39:46order, you take care of people at the

1:39:49outset.

1:39:50When the city learns that a building may

1:39:52be out of compliance, the burden

1:39:53shouldn't fall on individual tenants to

1:39:56prove it will be completed in a timely

1:39:57manner.

1:39:58Second, real staffing and clear

1:40:00timelines for the offices that handle

1:40:01these cases, so a tenant who knows

1:40:04what they're filing, when they're

1:40:05filing, when they'll get an answer.

1:40:08Third, and you you brought it up a

1:40:09little bit and I think you mentioned is

1:40:10that the unconscionability

1:40:12Unconscionability is a really nice term

1:40:14for we don't want to deal with it. Um,

1:40:17and you have such a gray zone

1:40:20of

1:40:21you have to achieve shock level, like

1:40:2334% for you all to recognize that that

1:40:26is insane.

1:40:28Right?

1:40:29But unconscionable doesn't start at 30%,

1:40:31it doesn't start at 20%, it doesn't

1:40:33start at 10%, starts at any percent that

1:40:36is completely out of line with CPI in a

1:40:38given year. Cuz how many of you have

1:40:40gotten a raise each year that keeps

1:40:43track with CPI? That's the consumer

1:40:45price index.

1:40:47I have not.

1:40:49So, why would your housing ever go above

1:40:52that? And anything above that that's on

1:40:54market rate is a lie because affordable

1:40:57housing, affordable housing for low,

1:40:59mid, and non-mid, the whole market is

1:41:03that market. It's not market rate for

1:41:05the people who can pay extra.

1:41:07It's market rate for everybody.

1:41:10And 34% is not market rate.

1:41:12So, if you define unconscionability

1:41:16as CPI

1:41:19you've solved the problem.

1:41:21Fourth, establish receivership. That's a

1:41:23really important one. Landlords felt

1:41:25your loss,

1:41:26take them to task for it.

1:41:28Thank you.

1:41:40>> Black, it's for tomorrow night.

1:41:42>> I think

1:41:42>> Plus, I don't know, maybe uh

1:41:44>> Sorry for the rude habit of or shocking

1:41:46people.

1:41:47>> Does this work?

1:41:47>> I'll I'll I'll hold it.

1:41:49Yeah, I'll hold it. Um I'll bring the

1:41:51file tomorrow night.

1:41:51>> like falling. Still not aware.

1:41:54>> Um Kevin Waller for the record, K E V A

1:41:56N W E L L E R, Orchard Towers.

1:42:00Thank you, first of all, again for doing

1:42:03this.

1:42:04Um it's extremely important what you're

1:42:06doing and what will come out of this

1:42:07committee.

1:42:08Um you guys are

1:42:11in a position to actually do something

1:42:12about

1:42:13what is being brought before you in the

1:42:15name of uh new ordinances, right? Or

1:42:18some some changes to ordinances. We just

1:42:20had uh two rental ordinances that have

1:42:22already of course are subject to

1:42:24litigation all of a sudden, of course.

1:42:26Uh but it's starting to make a a huge

1:42:27difference when it comes to transparency

1:42:29and the reality that rubs is part of

1:42:31rent um under rent control.

1:42:34So, a couple things. Uh in February,

1:42:37this council voted 9 to 0 for this

1:42:39committee resolution 26067.

1:42:42Section 8

1:42:43says that an interim report So, there's

1:42:45two reports listed out. There's one at

1:42:46the end, and then there's the interim

1:42:48report. Uh shall be issued within 90

1:42:50days, which was May 12th. I haven't been

1:42:53able to find that report. I think

1:42:55there's been some confusion. At city

1:42:56council meeting, several people have

1:42:58asked for the 90-day report, and I think

1:43:00the council responded with the report

1:43:01that come at the end. But there's two

1:43:03reports, and the one that we're looking

1:43:05for was the interim report that was due

1:43:07May 12th. Um if it does exist, we'd love

1:43:09to to read it or know where it is.

1:43:12Um I found out tonight

1:43:15I'm not blaming anybody. This may have

1:43:17been everybody may have known this, that

1:43:18tonight may be the last uh meeting for

1:43:20this uh count this committee.

1:43:22Um and if that's the case, the final

1:43:24report would be due uh January 4th.

1:43:27Under Section 3, this committee ends on

1:43:30February 11th.

1:43:31Section 11 gives this committee 30 days

1:43:34after the council's hearing to present

1:43:36legislation.

1:43:37By then, the committee will no longer

1:43:39exist. So,

1:43:41I don't think that's the intent. Uh

1:43:42please extend the committee so that it

1:43:44can finish the work that this council

1:43:46gave it.

1:43:47Section 6 gives you the power to compel

1:43:49testimony under oath and to subpoena

1:43:52records.

1:43:53In 7 months, as far as the public record

1:43:56shows, this committee has not compelled

1:43:58one landlord,

1:44:00property manager, or superintendent to

1:44:03answer a single question.

1:44:05Tenants came here and testified.

1:44:07The people responsible for the missing

1:44:09superintendents, the missing security,

1:44:11and the illegal rent increases so far

1:44:13never had to.

1:44:15Section 10 lets your final report

1:44:18recommend ordinance amendments. That's

1:44:20the key. That's where you guys can solve

1:44:22all these problems.

1:44:24Uh please recommend, among them, this

1:44:26one.

1:44:27Today, nothing in chapter 260 requires a

1:44:30landlord to give a tenant the full rent

1:44:33history of the apartment they live in.

1:44:35So, a renter cannot check the legal

1:44:37rent.

1:44:38Require the landlord to give every

1:44:40tenant the full rent history of the

1:44:42unit, starting from its base rent, and

1:44:45allow no rent increases until the tenant

1:44:48has it.

1:44:50We have given this council a draft

1:44:52amending chapter 260 to do just that. It

1:44:54would take about two lines.

1:44:56Coincidentally, it would be 260-3, which

1:44:59already goes to J.

1:45:01The next letter is K. It has nothing to

1:45:03do with me, but I kind of like the idea.

1:45:05K [laughter] would be the next one,

1:45:07minus Kevin O'Leary.

1:45:08Um so, I asked for four things.

1:45:11Funny, you almost said that you said,

1:45:13"I'll be K. Do that. You can't make it

1:45:14be K."

1:45:15I'm just kidding.

1:45:17Uh so, post the interim report, the one

1:45:19that was due on May 12th, or tell us

1:45:21that how to find it. Um extend this

1:45:24committee past February um,

1:45:26and then use your subpoena power on the

1:45:29owners and managers and any of the

1:45:30testimony you heard

1:45:32and put the rent history requirements in

1:45:34your final report.

1:45:36Okay, separately from that, ordinance

1:45:38218-1D,

1:45:40eliminate the exemption related to

1:45:42security for safety,

1:45:45and because that

1:45:47really only serves the purpose of

1:45:49creating litigation which drags your

1:45:50corporation counsel and your city

1:45:52lawyers into court

1:45:53to fight for why security is needed,

1:45:55though the ordinance says units with 20

1:45:57with 100 units or more are required to

1:45:59have it. The exemption opportunity

1:46:02creates a litigation opportunity, and it

1:46:04creates a safety

1:46:06problem for the city.

1:46:07Um, separately,

1:46:09any exemption granted

1:46:11shifts the burden to the city and to the

1:46:14city's police and therefore to the

1:46:15taxpayers, rather than the,

1:46:17uh, landlords which the ordinance, uh,

1:46:19currently has as the party responsible

1:46:21for security.

1:46:23Related to unconscionability,

1:46:25uh, there's at least one municipality. I

1:46:27was actually asked to speak in this

1:46:28municipality. I want to say it was Union

1:46:30Union City, but um, I have to to check

1:46:32and see, uh, that said it is $25. They

1:46:34just do $25 is the maximum you can

1:46:36increase rent per year, um, which was

1:46:39under ordinance. Uh, so, you know,

1:46:42ordinances are powerful. You guys can

1:46:43come up with something that would come

1:46:46up with what, uh, what unconscionability

1:46:48looks like. Define it. Call it

1:46:49something, um, and then it could protect

1:46:51everybody in the city whether, uh, your

1:46:53unit is rent controlled or not.

1:46:55Related to Newport,

1:46:56you know, there are a lot of people here

1:46:57from Newport. I used to live in Newport.

1:46:59Um, I'm familiar with the fact, I'm

1:47:00familiar with the redevelopment zone

1:47:03exemption.

1:47:04Um, it's not necessarily what it seems.

1:47:06There may be some opportunities there.

1:47:07So, whoever's heading up that effort, if

1:47:09they can find me, I'm not a lawyer, but

1:47:12I am willing to help, and I think I may

1:47:14have some information that can help you

1:47:15guys,

1:47:16um, related to what's happening over

1:47:18there after this, uh, the pilot

1:47:19agreements expire.

1:47:21Um, other than that, that's what I have.

1:47:23Any questions from you guys? I know that

1:47:25the forum originally was you guys would

1:47:27interact and have questions back and

1:47:29forth. If you have any,

1:47:32give it my best shot, and if not, I'll

1:47:33give you yes.

1:47:36>> Um, so I I did want to clarify and and

1:47:39Arleta, you can also speak to this. Um,

1:47:41I think at one of these meetings at the

1:47:42beginning we did clarify that the

1:47:44legislative the language was a little

1:47:46ambiguous but legislative intent,

1:47:48um, which uh the word F office had

1:47:50drafted

1:47:52the um resolution to the Homeless

1:47:53Committee. Um, and Arleta, feel free to

1:47:56jump in if I if I don't represent this

1:47:58correctly, but I believe at the

1:48:00beginning of one of these meetings, um,

1:48:02the rent renter protection special

1:48:04investigation committee meeting, um,

1:48:06they clarified the intent was 90 days

1:48:10after the last meeting.

1:48:11>> Correct.

1:48:12And then that's the preliminary report

1:48:1590 days after the last meeting, and then

1:48:16a final report shall be issued 180 days

1:48:20from that last meeting,

1:48:22uh and then within 30 days legislation

1:48:25um presented a draft a written draft

1:48:28legislation presented that the council

1:48:30may vote on at the following council

1:48:32meeting.

1:48:34>> I do see cuz I have it the resolution

1:48:36here in front of me. Timing and

1:48:37reporting,

1:48:39the committee shall convene its first

1:48:40meeting within 30 days of adoption. Next

1:48:44line, an interim report shall be issued

1:48:46within 90 days summarizing preliminary,

1:48:49>> So, it's not the end.

1:48:50>> findings. And then the next sentence, a

1:48:53final report, which is a different

1:48:55report than the one that is preliminary,

1:48:57would be due 180 days. So, uh and you

1:49:01guys have the power to vote to change

1:49:03this any way you want to. I'm just

1:49:04saying that the way that the resolution

1:49:06is currently written lists two reports,

1:49:09one preliminary and one final. That

1:49:10that's what I'm asking.

1:49:11>> So, we can make an amendment to clarify

1:49:13the language.

1:49:14>> Make it whatever you want to make it.

1:49:15We're just We're only commenting on

1:49:16what's, you know, what the resolution

1:49:18currently says. We We want to leave We

1:49:19you do it the correct way. It's, you

1:49:21know, we're not trying to

1:49:23get you on a technicality, but if there

1:49:24is an opportunity for being sure and for

1:49:26you to give you and us a chance to have

1:49:28feedback

1:49:29while there's still committee left

1:49:31before that final report, which is why

1:49:32it seemed like it made sense to have the

1:49:34two.

1:49:34>> And this isn't the last meeting. We

1:49:36still have more hearings to come. This

1:49:37is just the last public hearing. We're

1:49:39still interviewing

1:49:41the Possibly we can amend maybe to have

1:49:44a preliminary report

1:49:47after the final public hearing

1:49:49and then have a

1:49:51>> Great, thanks.

1:49:52>> And And just to really clarify

1:49:54all of the future committee meetings are

1:49:56also public. They will also be fully

1:49:59sunshined in public. Um but in terms of

1:50:02having the public come and give

1:50:05testimony like you all have graciously

1:50:07done tonight, um this is the last

1:50:09scheduled one and then our next meetings

1:50:12will be public meetings in which we have

1:50:15a certain um members out there of city

1:50:17government or otherwise come and testify

1:50:20to different kinds of uh issues going on

1:50:23um that we want to ask them about in the

1:50:26actual enforcement of our land laws.

1:50:29>> Wait. Let me just clarify. I

1:50:32I believe that I wasn't doubting the

1:50:34committee in any way. I just was looking

1:50:35for clarity. I know you guys want to do

1:50:36this right. We're We're thrilled with

1:50:38all this committee and everything that

1:50:39you guys are doing, but you know, it I

1:50:41noticed that the last couple council

1:50:42meetings people were asking for the

1:50:44interim report and the answer came back

1:50:46and we we we regrouped. What are we

1:50:47missing something? And then we read it

1:50:49like, "That's why we think that." And

1:50:51>> Yeah.

1:50:51So,

1:50:52I I think it was maybe not worded well,

1:50:54but again that, you know, we clarified

1:50:56this on the record at one of these

1:50:57meetings that this was the intent of the

1:51:00Ward 1 office when they were drafting

1:51:02this and that was the legislative intent

1:51:04and we did clarify that on the record.

1:51:06>> Okay. All right, then.

1:51:07Thank you very much. Any other questions

1:51:08for you guys?

1:51:10None for me, anyway.

1:51:12>> Um may I ask for um or can we take

1:51:14motions a motion to amend the

1:51:17resolution?

1:51:19In your amended resolution?

1:51:21The council meeting will be held here.

1:51:23Yeah, I think I'll do here. I I also

1:51:26Well, we can

1:51:27this committee can motion to

1:51:30work to amend.

1:51:32I'm happy Yeah, I'm happy with that

1:51:33motion. That's

1:51:35That's necessary. Also, I don't see

1:51:36anything in the resolution that would

1:51:38prevent us from putting forward an

1:51:40internal report regardless of the text

1:51:43of the resolution.

1:51:45Right.

1:51:48Not that I see. So, a motion from

1:51:50Councilwoman efforts to

1:51:53Can we make a motion? I second.

1:51:55Okay.

1:51:56You can make a motion. No, we have four

1:51:57Four is one

1:51:59cuz there's seven members of this

1:52:00committee, so four is quorum.

1:52:05Motion to amend and clarify language in

1:52:07the resolution made by

1:52:09Councilman and seconded by Griffin.

1:52:11And

1:52:13vote Can you all say I? I. I. I. Motion

1:52:17is accepted.

1:52:19So, we'll we'll

1:52:20try to have this on the next council

1:52:21meeting. Thank you. And if anybody

1:52:23within the Newport wants any help, come

1:52:25find me and I'll try to help. Thanks.

1:52:28Thank you, Kevin.

1:52:29So, you know

1:52:32Um

1:52:34I guess we're Well,

1:52:36Councilman has been here by the way and

1:52:37I'm leaving.

1:52:38Thank you.

1:52:41Our next meeting

1:52:44Uh

1:52:45I'm just We can gather information.

1:52:47There's maybe one comment from from the

1:52:50public.

1:52:54Okay. Okay.

1:52:57You know, I think at the very least

1:53:00Um

1:53:01we need to formulate an email

1:53:04and send it to HMF A.

1:53:07I would just see, you know, what their

1:53:10policy actually is um

1:53:12when it comes to

1:53:14uh people withdrawing from um

1:53:17you know,

1:53:18uh the affordable

1:53:20housing programs and and well as um

1:53:24you know, if if it was

1:53:26what's the procedure when it comes to

1:53:29um

1:53:32letting letting your your residents

1:53:34know.

1:53:35>> I recommend we just speak with GG.

1:53:38>> Would GG even know about this?

1:53:39>> She knows all this stuff.

1:53:40>> Okay. Well, let's let's speak with GG

1:53:42about that.

1:53:44>> I will

1:53:46>> And then um

1:53:48Yes. Okay, that sounds good.

1:53:51>> Uh quick Nelson Morales is the phone

1:53:55I was given this number Colleen Smith on

1:53:57the advice of Mr. Solomon to contact me

1:54:00directly.

1:54:01>> Mhm.

1:54:01>> She also was evaluating the said older

1:54:05pilot program from that particular

1:54:08agency to find out if there was some

1:54:10sort of clause or loopholes given that

1:54:12it was a rather older one of the

1:54:14original like um I guess uh affordable

1:54:17housing programs at that time. Can I

1:54:19give the telephone number for Colleen

1:54:21Smith to my fellow uh

1:54:23should residents here?

1:54:24This document this number this is

1:54:26Colleen Smith. She's the division

1:54:28director of the Housing Preservation

1:54:29Department of Housing and Economic

1:54:31Development Commerce of Jersey City.

1:54:33Her telephone number is 5 5 1

1:54:362 5 6

1:54:392 5 7 5. Again, that's 5 5 1

1:54:432 5 6 2 5 7 5. She advised anyone um who

1:54:47has a recent issue with their lease cuz

1:54:50coming up with renewal to communicate

1:54:52directly with her. She has a team

1:54:54working on it on a macro level and on a

1:54:56micro level where they're investigating

1:54:58the language within that contract

1:55:00contractual agreement that you know,

1:55:01Newport opted

1:55:03to get out of her email address as C

1:55:06as in Charlie

1:55:07Smith, S M A M S M I T H at jcnj.org.

1:55:14I advise you all to communicate directly

1:55:16with her. That's one of our

1:55:18obviously through you guys, but she was

1:55:21advised by Mr. Solomon to contact us.

1:55:24You know, just giving you that

1:55:25information so we can all be on board.

1:55:26Thank you again. Thank you.

1:55:28>> Thank you. Thanks. Thank you.

1:55:30>> Is there anything else anyone else

1:55:31needs?

1:55:31>> Thank you.

1:55:31>> Dorian Smith there.

1:55:33>> I just wanted to say one more thing.

1:55:35>> State your name and where you are from

1:55:36as well, please.

1:55:37>> You can take the mic.

1:55:39Dorian Wilson.

1:55:41>> I know that you guys can't give us legal

1:55:43advice, but I wanted to make note that

1:55:46they are asking us

1:55:49to give all of our personal financial

1:55:51information to a third party.

1:55:53>> Yes.

1:55:53>> And who is this

1:55:54>> And we do not know any information about

1:55:56these people.

1:55:58So, I just wanted to make note of that.

1:56:00And I know that somebody mentioned that

1:56:02you guys would follow up with us to

1:56:04maybe have a meeting

1:56:05>> Mhm.

1:56:06>> with some legal lawyers. How would that

1:56:07be conducted? How would we be notified

1:56:09that you guys are sending them?

1:56:11>> Yeah.

1:56:12I'm going I'm I'm going to have

1:56:14my council office work with my

1:56:16colleagues up here to set up this

1:56:18meeting.

1:56:19Um

1:56:20and we have contact information

1:56:22I'll make sure to get contact

1:56:23information for at least one of the the

1:56:26tenants. It sounds like there's a

1:56:26WhatsApp group started. So, I'll make

1:56:29sure to be in touch um so we can arrange

1:56:31a time and a date

1:56:33um

1:56:34once we have you know, an agenda with

1:56:36real solutions that we can come uh to

1:56:38you.

1:56:39>> Along with some legal advice.

1:56:40>> Along with some Yeah, I think both would

1:56:42be good.

1:56:43Thank you for that.

1:56:44>> We can probably bring the water buffalo

1:56:45from the president's office.

1:56:46>> We can probably bring a lawyer. They

1:56:48probably will not provide official legal

1:56:51advice without entering into a

1:56:52attorney-client relationship with you.

1:56:55Um but they can provide general

1:56:57I spoke to the water project project and

1:57:00they mentioned that they cannot

1:57:02represent a group.

1:57:04They would have to represent each person

1:57:06individually and each person would have

1:57:08to do their own intake

1:57:10individually.

1:57:11>> Then sign them up.

1:57:12>> And they have to

1:57:15>> Apple Tree.

1:57:16>> Oh, yeah, we can ask Apple Tree House

1:57:18for

1:57:18>> Apple Tree House in the building could

1:57:20be

1:57:22>> Apple Seed.

1:57:24>> building.

1:57:27>> Apple Seed is a non-profit uh

1:57:31>> What's your name again?

1:57:32>> Renee.

1:57:33>> Renee, yeah.

1:57:34>> Um

1:57:35>> Uh yeah, maybe we can invite Renee to

1:57:37one of the meetings as well.

1:57:38>> I I also yeah, we'll we'll definitely

1:57:40figure out an attorney to come um for

1:57:43sure. I think that was a great

1:57:44suggestion.

1:57:46Um

1:57:47I I also want to um many of you have

1:57:50been to

1:57:51my office already and or in your

1:57:53councilman versus office depending if

1:57:55you're ward A or ward G.

1:57:57Um we do have your emails in that case

1:57:59and we would be sure to include them

1:58:01when we announce that when our meeting

1:58:03will be once we get a few more things in

1:58:05order on our end and do a little more

1:58:09Um and I

1:58:11sorry, just you can speak in just a

1:58:13minute. And then um my legislative

1:58:16director here is Danielle. If you can

1:58:18wave, Danielle. Um you can also give her

1:58:21your email or your phone number or you

1:58:23could also give them to me

1:58:25um before you leave.

1:58:28>> And contact information for the ward of

1:58:30council office is on the table right

1:58:32outside of the doors and everyone should

1:58:35at least send one email to

1:58:37[email protected]

1:58:41so that you can get on our distribution

1:58:43list for

1:58:44additional meetings regarding the

1:58:45subject matter.

1:58:48>> Um

1:58:49Is Cassandra do but if to say one more

1:58:51thing, then

1:58:53Oh, okay.

1:58:55>> So, for this meeting, is it something

1:58:57I'm sure you have access to? This is the

1:58:59ordinance of the city of Jersey City,

1:59:01New Jersey. It's like a 98-page document

1:59:04that's kind of

1:59:06I guess giving you bullet version by

1:59:09bullet version, you know, of the whole

1:59:11long attachments of what's going on. And

1:59:13if there's someone that can just kind of

1:59:15put this in a language that someone like

1:59:173 years old can understand.

1:59:18>> Do you have the ordinance number?

1:59:20>> I I beg your pardon?

1:59:21>> have the ordinance number?

1:59:23>> I think it'll be 25-

1:59:26>> Can you say that again, please?

1:59:28>> 25-126.

1:59:31And it has the word "abatement".

1:59:33>> The abatement. Oh, that's the abatement.

1:59:35Yes.

1:59:36Yeah, that's the abatement that I

1:59:38summarized earlier

1:59:40um with the expiration of December 2028.

1:59:47>> That's it. I mean, I just wanted, you

1:59:49know, when they organize this meeting,

1:59:50they could bring someone along that

1:59:52could just assist on this.

1:59:53>> So, we're going to invite a

1:59:54representative from the Waterfront

1:59:55Project, the Appleseed Foundation, and

1:59:57also New Jersey League North New Jersey

2:00:01Legal Services. So, again, they may not

2:00:03be able to provide legal advice, they

2:00:07can tell you more about your rights as a

2:00:09tenant.

2:00:10>> I think that's good.

2:00:11>> Mhm.

2:00:11We also have links to tenant rights

2:00:13handbook available. These fliers are

2:00:16also available outside the door. You can

2:00:18learn more about the New Jersey eviction

2:00:20law, unlawful entry and detainer law,

2:00:22the Fair Eviction Notice Act. There's a

2:00:25link to file a petition. If you haven't

2:00:26already filed an illegal landlord rent

2:00:29petition petition and you feel like your

2:00:31rent is illegal, please file a petition

2:00:33so you can get on that line. It is a

2:00:35long list to be heard. There are is also

2:00:38a document with phone numbers of various

2:00:40divisions that can offer resources, the

2:00:42link to the Jersey City Office of

2:00:44Landlord-Tenant Relations. That is the

2:00:46division that Carlene Smith now heads.

2:00:49And then the truth in renting guide,

2:00:51these are all resources that are super

2:00:53super resourceful.

2:00:55Um and then my best friend is chat GPT.

2:00:57So if you don't use him

2:00:59refer to him Claude, you know, there's

2:01:02there's a black owned one called Aisha.

2:01:05>> [laughter]

2:01:06>> So use them. Have them translate this

2:01:08for you. Again, they aren't lawyers, so

2:01:11you still want to um

2:01:13de- de- depend on an actual lawyer, but

2:01:15you can ask them to act as a

2:01:18professional lawyer. The prompt would be

2:01:19act like a professional lawyer and

2:01:21translate this into layman's terms for

2:01:23me and then upload the attachment.

2:01:27>> Do you see her?

2:01:29>> Yes, my best friend. Uh do you have a

2:01:31motion to adjourn or is there any other

2:01:34speakers?

2:01:35>> We're out of quorum, so

2:01:37>> Yes, we can end anyway.

2:01:42>> What I what I wanted to ask is recently

2:01:44I read

2:01:45>> that Christie Oh, not Christie but then

2:01:46um that's going way back. Uh our current

2:01:49our current uh governor, Mike Sherrill,

2:01:52>> Is that my phone?

2:01:53>> made an announcement

2:01:55>> announcements, sir.

2:01:56>> She's made an announcement that uh rents

2:01:59have to be transparent. Uh and that

2:02:03rental platforms when they advertise a

2:02:05rent,

2:02:06uh that is the rent that you're going to

2:02:07pay, right? Moving forward because there

2:02:10was some um

2:02:13Oh god, uh like there was hidden fees in

2:02:16a lot of these new rental platforms.

2:02:20How how is that made transparent? I

2:02:23because of my situation, I am currently

2:02:25looking, right? For uh other

2:02:28accommodations.

2:02:30Um

2:02:31and it seems that there are still a lot

2:02:34of hidden

2:02:35um language in a lot of these online

2:02:38platforms. Um

2:02:40I have yet to find a walk-in place where

2:02:43I can actually sit down face-to-face

2:02:45with maybe a rental agent. And now it

2:02:48seems that when you do work with

2:02:51a rental or management company, there

2:02:53are also a lot of very hefty fees

2:02:56involved with being able to, you know,

2:03:00move into a new

2:03:02a new apartment new situation. So I want

2:03:04to know if if Jersey City

2:03:08is being proactive with any of these

2:03:11because it's becoming very convoluted

2:03:13just to rent

2:03:15an apartment anywhere these days.

2:03:19Is there any help? Is there any you

2:03:21know, legal

2:03:22um

2:03:23information that can be accessed on you

2:03:26know, knowing these rights and see if

2:03:28there's these seem like new uh

2:03:31not initiatives but new problems arising

2:03:35from LLCs now being prevalent with these

2:03:37new buildings and online platforms

2:03:40becoming the new real estate agents.

2:03:43>> Yeah. Um I'll look into

2:03:45>> Thank you.

2:03:46>> I'll look into the business around the

2:03:47governor's announcement. Um I know a lot

2:03:49of this is regulated at the state level

2:03:52and whatever role we can play in Jersey

2:03:54City, we'll we'll take that into

2:03:55account. But I'll I'll look into that

2:03:56announcement. Thank you very much.

2:03:58>> Thank you.

2:04:00>> Do I hear a motion?

2:04:00>> Just a quick announcement. They are

2:04:02passing around a QR code for the

2:04:05WhatsApp group for your new tenants

2:04:07association. So if you just want to go

2:04:09up to that gentleman and scan that QR

2:04:11code, you will be in the WhatsApp.

2:04:16>> Um I'd like to make that motion to

2:04:18adjourn.

2:04:19>> All in favor?

2:04:20>> Motion.

2:04:21>> I.

2:04:21>> I.

2:04:22>> I.

2:04:23>> I say I.

2:04:24>> I.

2:04:24>> All right. Motion passes. You can sit

2:04:26down this side.

2:04:27>> Motion passes. Meeting here is adjourned

2:04:29at 8:15 p.m. Thank you all for coming

2:04:31out. Get home safely.

2:04:32>> Thank you all so much. We'll see you

2:04:33guys soon, okay?

2:04:35>> Thank you for your words,

2:04:37God.

2:04:39And then have a change of word.

2:04:48Yes.