Tempers Flare at Town Council Over Revised Rent Ordinance

The November 21^st Township Council meeting, which began on an upbeat note with three new firefighters being sworn in, later turned contentious when a tenants’ rights advocate accused Mayor Raymond McCarthy of pulling a “political trick” to influence the outcome of the recent municipal elections.

Kevin Lindahl, Vice President of the Bloomfield Tenant’s Association, anticipating significant revisions to the co-called unconscionable rent ordinance set for a vote, angrily confronted the mayor with his grievances.

“You proved your critics right.  And you proved your friends and supporters wrong,” Lindahl shouted. “What happened to you?   You used to be a good mayor.  I voted for you and I campaigned for you and I campaigned for Carlos [Bernard.]  Why did you change?”

Lindahl contended that McCarthy used the original ordinance as a political maneuver to garner votes for fellow Democrat Carlos Bernard. The linchpin of the first version, which had been unanimously supported by members of the council in a 7-0 vote, was the provision of a 5% cap on rent increases, a measure intended to protect tenants (especially the poor and elderly) from unscrupulous landlords.  At Monday night’s meeting, the 5% cap had disappeared from the ordinance.

Lindahl said he had convinced residents to vote based on the original version of ordinance.  “I said, ‘you’ve got to vote for Carlos Bernard, he’s on our side.  And the mayor has voted for Bernard Hamilton’s bill.’   [The voter] changed her vote to Carlos Bernard, from Sue Ann Penna.”

After Lindahl accused the mayor of changing his tune a week after the election and “using the tenants,” McCarthy countered angrily, “No, no, I’m not going to allow you to say that.  And here’s why.  From day one, Kevin, I have said – and I have repeated and repeated and repeated it -- I will not vote for a rent-control ordinance.  What I supported was Councilman Hamilton’s movement of the unconscionable rent [ordinance.]  Plain and simple.  One has nothing to do with the other.”

Lindahl also took aim at Councilman-at-Large Hamilton, who introduced the bill ahead of the election only to put the brakes on it a few weeks later, saying it needed to be “tweaked” by the township’s legal department before it could pass. 

Hamilton rejected Lindahl's accusations, insisting it was necessary to amend the ordinance for legal reasons.

“Well, you know what?  We’ve had it,” declared Lindahl to the council.  “I’ve had it, the tenants have had it.  Maybe we need to have a town-wide rent strike.  Maybe we need to occupy Town Hall.  Maybe the only election you’re going to respect is a recall election.” 

When it came down to the vote,Councilman Nick Joanow called the revised version of the ordinance “a total gutting of any semblance of rent control.”

“What we have is a watered down version of meaningless proportion . . . I will not support this resolution as it is proposed.”

Councilman Robert Ruane called it “deception in its highest form,” saying, “Councilman Bernard had a resolution that was acceptable to everyone . . . the tenants were thrown under the bus.”

The resolution passed by a vote of 4-2, with Joanow and Ruane dissenting.  Councilwoman Janice Litterio was absent.

After the meeting, Councilman-elect Carlos Bernard said, “I agree with Nick Joanow.  That’s what made the ordinance, the 5% [cap.]  It’s nothing without that.”

He went on, “I don’t know what went wrong.  My understanding was that it would be passed with the 5% cap.  We’re definitely going to bring it back.  We’re not going to let this slide under the table.”

Councilman Hamilton declined to discuss the meeting with Patch. 

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Three firefighters were officially sworn it at the November 21 meeting: Joe Critchley, Patrick Fazzini and Robert Powell.