RIGHT TO COUNSEL GAINS SUPPORT FROM CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS ACROSS NEW JERSEY

Jersey City, NJ–Councilmembers James Solomon, Frank “Educational” Gilmore, and Yousef J. Saleh’s proposed Right to Counsel and Development Fee ordinances in Jersey City have garnered widespread support from Civil Rights groups across New Jersey. Today the following eight organizations offered their formal endorsements: Latino Action Network (LAN), Housing Rights Initiative (HRI), Fair Share Housing Center (FSHC), Make the Road New Jersey (MRNJ), ACLU of New Jersey (ACLU-NJ), Our Revolution New Jersey, North New Jersey Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (NNJDSA), the New Jersey Working Families Party, and the New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP).

Javier Robles, President of Latino Action Network, stated, “Latinos in New Jersey have historically been discriminated against, especially when it comes to housing, and have not had the proper tools to be able to defend their case in court against landlords. The Right to Counsel program gives our community a fighting chance to stay in their homes and is one that will help many from being evicted.”

Aaron Carr, Founder and Executive Director of Housing Rights Initiative, added, “Tenants shouldn’t be forced to choose between paying exorbitant fees or navigating complex legal matters alone. With Right to Counsel, tenants will have the guidance and support they need to defend their rights and achieve fair outcomes.”

Fair Share Housing Center believes that “the Right to Counsel program is an important step towards achieving fairness for lower-income renters in the city. FSHC also supports the City’s proposed Development Fee Ordinance, which is a commonplace tool that many municipalities can use to further affordable housing opportunities in their towns.”

Noemi Ruiz, a Jersey City resident and member of Make the Road New Jersey, shared her experience, “As a Jersey City resident, tenant, and single mom, I couldn’t afford a lawyer when my landlord tried to evict me. The Right to Counsel during eviction proceedings will give working families like mine the right to fight to stay in our homes and avoid homelessness.”

Joe Johnson, Policy Counsel for the ACLU of New Jersey, added, “The costs of eviction, including increased homelessness and decreased access to career and educational opportunities for many, are far too great, especially in communities of color. We commend Mayor Fulop and the entire Jersey City Municipal Council for undertaking this effort.”

Anna-Marta Visky, State Coordinator for Our Revolution New Jersey affirmed, “We stand with tenants in Jersey City in the fight for a level-playing field when it comes to defending their fundamental human right to housing. Housing is a public health issue with a wide-ranging impact, inseparable from education, employment, mental health, social connections, and more. The Right to Counsel ordinance is a necessary cross-sector initiative that will not only help individuals facing evictions but will create safer communities as a whole. In times of increasing economic challenges brought on by corporate greed, we commend Councilmembers Solomon, Gilmore, and Saleh for making protecting tenants a priority. Our members will be organizing to see this ordinance pass in Jersey City and throughout the state as well.”

“As leaders in the coalition to get Right to Counsel passed in Jersey City, we view this policy as one step in empowering tenants and building up housing organizing across the city, ” said The North New Jersey Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (NNJDSA). “We believe that everyday people should hold the power in their workplaces, neighborhoods, and society at large, and we stand for an economic and housing system that puts people over profit. As renters in Jersey City ourselves, we have worked with tenants across the city to guarantee representation in housing court, balance the scales, and take on a deeply inequitable housing system together. Housing is a human right.”

Sue Altman, the State Director of Working Families agrees that, “RTC is a major step in helping thousands of families stay in their homes and stay a part of the Jersey City community. The funds generated will be an important tool in the fight to keep Jersey City affordable, bringing millions to the affordable housing trust fund that can create new affordable units and help maintain what we already have. We thank Mayor Fulop and the Council sponsors for bringing this forward, and we thank the Council President and the whole council for pushing this along. Jersey City has made a commitment to being inclusive for all, and this is an example of the whole city working together to forward that vision.”

“Eviction is one of the most destabilizing and economically harmful experiences a family can go through,” said Nicole Rodriguez, President of New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP). “Providing a right to counsel in eviction proceedings will give residents a fair chance to stay in their homes and avoid the further devastating financial consequences that stem from displacement. This ordinance should be seen as a model for the rest of the state to follow, especially given how many renters are struggling to keep up with rising housing costs.”

The Right to Counsel Jersey City Campaign and the bill’s co-sponsors offered the following statements. The Council is set to vote on the Right to Counsel ordinance in the coming weeks.

The RTC JC Campaign Committee added, “After months of reaching out to tenants across the city, the Right to Counsel Jersey City Campaign is immensely excited to see the Right to Counsel and Development Fee ordinances be put up for a vote in the city council. Our campaign includes a coalition of renters and progressive organizations fighting for better living conditions and housing justice. These are much needed policies that will protect tenants from landlord harassment and negligence and hold luxury developers who have contributed to the affordability crisis accountable. We implore the council to approve an RTC that will cover all tenants in cases of eviction, illegal rent hikes, and other housing issues.”

Councilman James Solomon stated, “I am honored that we have the support of these powerful organizations in our efforts to pass the Right to Counsel and Development Impact Fee ordinances in Jersey City. This legislation is a crucial step towards addressing the housing insecurity that disproportionately affects communities of color, while ensuring everyone gets the right to the resources they need to remain housed. It is time for developers to contribute their fair share to our community, and for us to ensure that no one faces eviction without proper representation.”

Councilman Yousef J. Saleh added, “The support of all these well-established and credible organizations for the right-to-counsel ordinance is a testament that good government governs best through good policy, and Jersey City must meet the moment. With a nationwide housing shortage and an affordability crisis in our bustling metropolis, an investment in affordable housing benefits every resident and helps to maintain the beautifully diverse tapestry of our fair city. An investment in consultation and representation benefits the stability of Jersey City and will help keep the most vulnerable people in their home. It won’t help squatters or nefarious tenants looking to game the system, but will help folks who are retaliated against for reporting no heat in the winter, or tenants threatened with their undocumented status to live in substandard conditions. The money that is raised through these development fees, which are pretty standard across New Jersey, will also help landlords with repairs to their homes, and developers who are looking to subsidize affordable housing projects. It is a win-win-win for Jersey City.”

“The increased support throughout the city is a testament to the people of our city,” said Ward F Councilman, Frank Gilmore. “No matter their individual income level, people from various parts of the city, renters and landlords alike, have shown their support because they understand the need to level the playing field and see to it that resources for those in need are provided.  The city should be proud of the support RTC is gaining and the momentum that it has picked up. The Development Fee passing Planning Board this week was a huge step in the right direction for the city of Jersey City.”