Tenant Advocates Appeal Decision to Overturn Election
A judge ordered a new election last month, to re-decide the referendum on rent control in Hoboken.
Cheryl Fallick, a Hoboken resident who serves on the rent leveling board, has appealed a recent decision to overturn the outcome of last November's referendum about rent control.
While voters decided to uphold rent control on its current form in Hoboken — rather than changing to a vacancy decontrol system — the outcome was later contested.
After all the vote by mail ballots were counted, rent control was upheld by less than 50 votes. A group of 15 voters — with the support of the Mile Square Tax Payers Association and lead by lawyer Charles Gormally — contested 92 ballots.
The rent control laws in Hoboken were changed two years ago, when the full council approved the new laws.
A "no" vote to the answer if Hoboken should switch to a model of vacancy decontrol — rather than rent control — prevailed on election night in November. After all the vote by mail ballots were counted, the answer to the question was upheld by a difference of 52 votes.
In December, 15 supporters of the Mile Square Taxpayers Association — those who oppose rent control — filed an election contest to overturn
the result. Which Farrington ultimately did.
In an earlier interview, Fallick called the ruling "outrageous."
"Hoboken Fair Housing Association believes that the originally certified election results defeating (public question #2) represents the true will of the citizens of Hoboken," stated the HFHA press release.
Andy
3:42 pm on Friday, March 15, 2013
No one has the right to low rent - it's that 'I got mine' mentality. If rent control were stopped the market might actually stabilize at a level that is realistic and lower for everyone. They just never thought they would get caught with ballots that were outside the legal dates for submission.
Indiecom
5:48 pm on Friday, March 15, 2013
Just curious, Andy - who's the "they" that you refer to and what's this about getting caught with ballots outside of the legal dates? I see that the article lacks any real information about what the case, but I'm at a loss about what you are suggesting as well.
Hazel
2:52 pm on Sunday, March 17, 2013
Yeah, Andy doesn't think anyone has the right to a rent. Only people on Church Towers.
CuriousGal
2:49 pm on Sunday, March 17, 2013
Fact: voting by email was only allowed if you were DISPLACED from your home, not if you didn't want to wait on line.
albert ross
2:49 pm on Sunday, March 17, 2013
No one has the right to low rent but tenants do have the right of protection from unfair and unlawful increases from landlords and developers. Some commenter wiping his chin after a visit to the MSTA teat might disagree, but ultimately he knows we are right and he is wrong.