Passaic tenants march against property owner, rent hikes. Want a return to rent control

PASSAIC — Hundreds of tenants who rent apartments from one of the largest property owners in the city marched on Main Avenue on Thursday afternoon to announce they had formed a new tenants' union and to bring attention to their poor living conditions and large rent increases.

The tenants stopped in front of 919 Main Ave., one of the many properties owned by the Perez family.

In front of the mixed-use pastel-colored building with "Perez 2007" centered on the façade and retail spaces on the main floor,, the residents, who organized with the help of Make the Road New Jersey, an immigrant organization formed in 2014, spoke out against rising rents and unresponsive property owners.

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The participants carried posters in English and Spanish calling for lower rents and rent control. One poster read: "Perez tenants are standing up," and another "The rent is too damn high."

The Perez family owns about 1,000 rental units in the city. In 2022 the Perez family broke ground at 711 Main Ave. to erect a new building with stores on the first floor, commercial space above that and 15 apartments on the third and fourth floors.

Local Make the Road New Jersey organizer Maria Montesinos said in recent years when tenants of Perez-owned properties have renewed their leases they have been subjected to monthly rent increases of $400 to $500.

The organization contends the increased rents are no guarantee that properties will be adequately maintained.

"Behind the well-kept pastel facades hides an ugly truth," reads a Make The Road statement. "Tenants report extremely high rent increases, inconsistent running water in the apartments, piles of uncollected garbage behind the buildings," according to the statement. "Safety concerns, lack of lighting in common areas like stairs and entrances, and uneven flooring leading to accidents," it reads.

A quick tour of the 919 Main Ave. building revealed a pile of garbage in the rear of the building, an entry door at the rear of the building had no lock or doorknob leading to a shaky stairway and light fixtures without covers.

A number of residents spoke about their living conditions saying that repair requests are often ignored and accused their landlords of being negligent in their upkeep.

Owner Alex Perez, Jr., whose family has been involved in city real estate for three generations, responded to the demonstration and accusations by saying his company takes residents' concerns seriously. Requests are handled promptly and professionally, he said.

"Our tenants are vital to our global operation and business model," Perez said. " It is unfortunate and entirely unnecessary that a few of our residents have targeted our company on multiple occasions and felt the need to formally escalate their matters."

However, he said, "we are confident that after a full exposition of the facts, that we will be fully and completely exonerated."

Return to rent control in Passaic?

Another Make the Road goal is to have the city make the Perez properties as well as other apartment buildings, rent controlled. The city, up to two decades ago, had rent-controlled apartments.

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City officials said it has been more than 20 years since new apartments have been subjected to rent control, although some grandfathered rent-controlled apartments remain.

Make the Road organizer Diego Bartesagh said Thursday's march and union formation announcement is meant to put the landlord on notice of their intentions. Make the Road also hopes to find an ally with local and state officials.

"We hope the state and local politicians will work with us," Bartesagh said.

The city's Mayor Hector Lora was non-committal saying tenant/landlord issues can be complicated.

"As mayor, I want to make it clear that there is absolutely no excuse for residents to live in substandard or unsafe conditions," he said. "I stand firmly with our residents and will fight on their behalf and I will support any agency dedicated to protecting their rights and enhancing their quality of life."

Still he said tenants should also bring serious repair and safety issues to City Hall immediately, rather than waiting. He also urged landlords to act responsibly when raising rents.

The mayor, though, said he is not a fan of rent control. His administration has been pushing extensive redevelopment plans. A city with strict rent control requirements can stifle local development, he said.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Passaic NJ apartment tenants march against landlord, rent hikes