Op-Ed: Hoboken’s real estate lobby is engaging in dishonest campaign tactics

Reposted from an Op-Ed on Hudson County View
By Hudson County View -September 28, 2024 1:25 pm

In an editorial, three housing groups come out against the Hoboken rent control referendum on the November 5th ballot, alleging dishonest campaign tactics by the other side.

In a shameful display of deception, an anti-rent control landlords’ group is trying to undermine the very fabric of our community by co-opting the name of the Hoboken Fair Housing Association (HFHA), a nonprofit that has fought for decades to protect renters and tenant rights in Hoboken.

By falsely using the name Hoboken Fair Housing as their Instagram handle thus associating themselves with the HFHA, this powerful real estate lobby is attempting to mislead voters into supporting a ballot referendum that would decimate rent protections.

This isn’t just a political maneuver; it’s an outright assault on the renters who make up a significant portion of our city.

The landlords’ group, Miles Square Taxpayers Association (MSTA) backed by wealthy developers and portfolio/corporate landlords, is using dirty tricks to trick voters—particularly renters—into voting against their own interests.

By falsely claiming they are “supporting affordable housing,” they collected signatures for a referendum that would actually dismantle key rent protections. If they truly believed their proposal was beneficial for Hoboken, they wouldn’t lie.

They wouldn’t piggyback off the trusted name of the Hoboken Fair Housing Association, which spent years defending the rights of renters.

This underhanded attempt to deceive the public is grotesque, and we must call it what it is: a manipulation of democracy and an attack on renters.

At the core of their dishonest proposal is a loophole designed to benefit landlords.

The referendum would allow landlords to raise rents on their rent-controlled properties to the maximum/unrestricted market rate by making a minimal $2,500 contribution (less than the average monthly rent in Hoboken) to the Hoboken Affordable Housing Trust Fund when a tenant leaves or is pushed out.

This will jack up rents across the city and eliminate any and all existing affordable rentals in Hoboken in short order as the property owner exchanges a $2,500 payment for a permanent windfall.

For renters living below market rate—working families, longtime residents, seniors on fixed incomes—this spells displacement. This is not a solution for affordable housing; it’s a gift to developers who prioritize profits over people.

The Hoboken Fair Housing Association (HFHA), alongside Hoboken United Tenants (HUT), strongly condemns this referendum and the tactics used to promote it.

Collectively these two groups have the active participation of both longtime and newer residents – owners and renters alike.

They are urging everyone to vote NO on the ballot question, not only to preserve affordable housing but to protect our neighbors from being pushed out of the homes they’ve lived in for years.

This is a fight for the future of Hoboken—a fight to keep our community diverse, fair, and accessible to all.

Remember: this ballot initiative is designed to benefit real estate developers/investors, not renters.

If the anti-rent control lobby succeeds, Hoboken will become even more unaffordable, pushing out the very people who make this city vibrant and inclusive. We cannot let that happen.

For those voting by mail, please note the question is on the back of the ballot. A vote NO on this referendum is a vote to protect Hoboken’s renters, preserve affordability, and ensure that our city remains a place for everyone—not just the wealthy.

Let’s not be fooled by the deceitful tactics of a group more interested in their bottom line than in the well-being of Hoboken’s residents. Protect your neighbors. Protect your city. Vote NO on the anti-rent control referendum.

The HFHA, an affiliate of the New Jersey Tenants Organization (NJTO), stands united with renters. Together we will continue to fight for the fair and just protections that Hoboken deserves.

Hoboken Fair Housing Association
Hoboken United Tenants
New Jersey Tenants Organization

See original post on Hudson County View