Newark City Council Approves Rent Control Changes (VIDEO)

NEWARK, NJ — Newark landlords may find it easier to hike rents in vacant, rent-controlled apartments due to rule changes unanimously approved by the Newark City Council on Tuesday.

Details about the new ordinance can be seen here.

The approved changes amend a 2014 ordinance that required a landlord to spend “$5,000 multiplied by the number of rooms in a vacant unit to rehabilitate the residence in order to raise rent by a maximum of 20 percent,” NJ.com reported.

Under the new rules, landlords who spend an equivalent to eight months of a unit's rent can ask for up a 20 percent increase in rent.

Rehabilitation work worth six months of rent would allow a 15 percent increase, and work worth four months of rent would allow a 10 percent bump, NJ.com stated.

Read the full report here.

Local community groups opposed to the rule changes included the Ironbound Community Corporation and the People’s Organization for Progress.

Several Newark residents spoke out passionately against the ordinance during a public hearing, alleging that the potential rent increases would “suffocate” hardworking, low-income people.

Photo: A Newark resident speaks against proposed changes to rent control regulations in the city on March 7, 2017.

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