OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Newark Municipal Council Regular Meeting - July 18, 2023

Municipal Council — Tuesday, July 18, 2023
BodyNewark, New Jersey
SessionMunicipal Council
DateTuesday, July 18, 2023
StatusFILED
Video Record
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0:00

And rates, Section 25 fare rates by amending various subsections to adjust the current taxicab rates and associated zones.

0:10

Any questions?

0:11

Yeah, Mr.

0:11

Chair, I'll sponsor this.

0:14

Sponsored.

0:15

Yeah.

0:15

Is there a second there?

0:17

Second, Councilman Gonzalez.

0:22

6FC is an ordinance granting a 30-year tax abatement to 289-301 Washington Street, Urban Renewal 3 LLC for a project to construct a residential tower consisting of 234 market rate residential rental units, 58 affordable housing rental units, of which 15 units shall be restricted to tenants at 40 percent of area median income.

0:50

14 units shall be restricted to tenants at 60 percent AMI, and 29 units shall be restricted to tenants at 80 percent AMI located at 295-297 Washington Street in the Central Ward.

1:06

Any questions?

1:08

CNN continue.

1:27

Any questions?

1:27

Councilman Gonzalez.

1:30

I I am not talking about this ordinance specifically, but we have to do something because uh let's say Vio, I believe one of the providers of the the scooters had one of them in front of my house for a week and a half.

1:45

We called the company uh and they I I suppose refused to to pick it up until uh I believe uh somebody complained.

1:55

So we have to make sure that this individual picked up this uh equipment on the on a regular basis on a timely basis, because I believe they are a nuisance in front of the houses.

2:08

And in terms of that, councilman, there they're also parking them at in in traffic areas where uh if you look at one prospect, there's a yellow lines, and at night it's a blind side, and they're parked in they're parking them there.

2:23

And if an ambulance or some unit goes through there or it's gonna have a it's gonna have a problem because there's no reflectors.

2:33

The reflectors are really, and I have a video of the reflectors.

2:36

You can't even see them.

2:38

They have no good reflectors, these uh uh uh vehicles or whatever we call them, scooters.

2:48

6FG is an ordinance amending the revised general ordinances by amending Title 41, NORC Zoning and Land Use Regulations, Chapter 21, Inclusionary Zoning for Affordable Housing.

3:02

Any questions?

3:03

Uh sponsor.

3:04

Sponsor?

3:05

Yes.

3:05

Is there a second?

3:06

Second.

3:09

Continue.

3:12

6FH is an ordinance amending Title II, Section 10, unconscionable rent increase by amending the definition of unconscionable rent and adding provisions to determine violations of this ordinance and penalties.

3:27

Any questions?

3:30

No questions, continue.

3:31

I do I do sponsored by sponsor Kelly sponsors.

3:37

Is there a second?

3:38

We we talked about unconscionable and it mentions five percent.

3:41

However, uh when the let's say it goes by the standard or whatever the market rate is at the time.

3:50

So if someone is increasing, let's see, hypothetically, everyone is increasing the rent two percent, and I increase the rent four percent, even though it's below the five percent.

4:00

Somebody can take me to court, and I have to defend in court uh because that rent might be considered unconscionable.

4:08

If it is unconscionable, then I have to I cannot raise the rent for three years.

4:14

I believe that's a very steep penal penalty, and uh we have to I believe we have to modify that.

4:21

The other thing is that uh this uh ordinance applies to uh specifically to farmers to one family, two family, three family, and four family homes.

4:33

Uh I believe we are doing a disservice to the homeowners of the city of Newark because some of these homeowners are one and two family homeowners that lease or rent their their space are counting on that rent to to pay their mortgage.

4:48

If we are going to limit the the ability to raise the rent when the gas goes up, the electricity goes up, the taxes goes up, they might be in a position to lose the house.

5:00

So we are creating, I believe we are creating a bigger problem because now that individual is going to have to sell the house to who?

5:09

An institutional buyer, a corporation, an LLC, a trust, or who or whomever.

5:17

So I believe that this uh amendment here uh might create more problems that uh it resolves.

5:32

Thank you.

5:32

Uh good morning, Kenyatta City of North Corporation Council.

5:36

So, Councilman, I will take the opportunity to speak to you in more detail in reference to what your concerns are.

5:41

I will say that in reference to the second aspect of uh your concern.

5:45

Uh we did include uh homeowners because we realize that we have to balance between the fact that we want homeowners to have the opportunity to increase their rents, right?

5:55

We do we're not saying that they can't increase them at all.

5:57

We're saying that they have the opportunity to increase their rents, however, we want it to be at a at a pace where the renters who live there can afford to live there as well.

6:06

We recognize that you know the cost of living and things of that nature may play a part, but like I said, we'll I'll come to your office and sit down so that we can you know have a little dialogue in reference to what your concerns are.

6:17

Okay, I appreciate that.

6:20

Um other questions.

6:22

Councilman Chiller?

6:23

Yeah, um I just wanted to say my my concern is what Councilman Gonzalez says.

6:30

A lot of my uh, and I believe this is a citywide thing.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Affordable Housing█████████████████████21%
Public Safety█████████████████17%
Public Engagement██████████████14%
Public Housing████████████12%
Procedural█████████9%
Cannabis Regulation████████8%
Public Works█████5%
Tax Abatement███3%
Engineering And Infrastructure███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Newark Municipal Council Regular Meeting - July 18, 2023

The Newark Municipal Council held a regular meeting on July 18, 2023, at City Hall in the Council Chamber. The meeting covered a wide range of items including ordinances on rent control and taxicab rates, tax abatements for the Halo development, numerous resolutions for contracts and grants, appointments, ceremonial street designations, and a public hearing on several items. Notable discussions included concerns over the impact of proposed rent control amendments on small homeowners, the selection process for violence prevention grants, and the introduction of the Newark Housing Authority's interim director.

Consent Calendar

  • Routine approvals including reports and recommendations from city officers and boards (items 5-a through 5-d), bid contracts for portable address systems, batteries, curb stops, summer food program, Family Fun Day, pharmacy supplies, and masonry repairs (7R1-c through 7R1-i), and amendments to existing contracts for medical/laboratory services and rescission of a senior nutrition contract (7R1-j, 7R1-k).
  • Approval of various sub-recipient grants for HIV/AIDS services (7R5-a through 7R5-o), housing assistance for persons with HIV/AIDS (7R7-a through 7R7-e), and emergency shelter services (7R7-f through 7R7-i).
  • Settlement approvals for workers' compensation and civil litigation (7R6-a through 7R6-e).
  • Ceremonial street designations for Carmen “Ñaña” Morales, Detective Brian Keith McAdams, Sr., Wilhelmina Holder, and Alfred “Al” Squartino (7R8-a through 7R8-d).
  • Waiving special event application fees for several community events (7R8-e through 7R8-j).
  • Resolutions expressing sorrow and recognizing individuals (7R8-m, 7R8-n).
  • Appointments to the African Commission, Hispanic Commission re-appointments, and appointment of a City Clerk (7R8-o, 8-a through 8-f).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • One speaker, Colleen Fields, addressed the council. She thanked her pastor for organizing a children's camp and recounted a personal incident where she was slapped by an individual named Ambrose, alleging a cover-up by the city. She stated she would sell shirts reading "Ambrose slapped me like a slave."

The interim director of the Newark Housing Authority, Manuel Foster, presented an overview of his background and plans. He noted that over 16,000 families are served, highlighted progress on inspections and vacant unit rehabilitation, and mentioned the upcoming reopening of 46 units at Woodlawn Village and the approved disposition plan for Seth Boyden/Lions Gate.

Discussion Items

Rent Control and Unconscionable Rent Increase Ordinances (6F-h and 6F-i)

  • Council Members Gonzalez, Silva, and Ramos raised concerns about the impact of proposed rent control amendments (capping increases at 5%) on small homeowners, particularly seniors in one-to-four-family homes who rely on rental income to pay mortgages, taxes, and utilities. They argued that such caps could lead to foreclosures and displacement by institutional buyers. Corporation Counsel Kenyatta Stewart acknowledged the concerns and agreed to further dialogue with the council members.

Violence Prevention Grants (7R1-o through 7R1-ar)

  • Barry Ford from the Office of Violence Prevention explained the selection process: entities were chosen based on an RFP process, with amounts reduced by 50% of requests and an additional 10% to focus on high-risk intervention and domestic violence. Council members requested a budget breakdown per respondent and data on outcomes. Business Administrator Eric Pennington noted that technical assistance is being provided to grassroots organizations to help them qualify for future grants, and that sustainability beyond ARPA funds will require organizations to seek other funding.

Cannabis Letters of Support

  • The council considered three added starters for letters of support for cannabis dispensaries: Halsey Forum LLC (South Ward), Herbernum (South Ward), and Smoking Classic (South Ward). The Cannabis Selection Committee chair confirmed all met criteria. Discussion included that only one applicant sought a location in the West Ward, and that the West Ward currently has no retail cannabis establishments. The letters were approved after the committee meeting.

Newark Housing Authority Update

  • Interim Director Manuel Foster discussed security plans, including 24/7 security for senior buildings and armed police presence. Council Members Kelly and Scott-Rountree pressed for specifics on West Ward properties, particularly Bradley Court. Foster stated he did not have ready answers but committed to developing plans. Council Member Ramos emphasized the need to address unauthorized tenants and reduce administrative patronage. Council Member Gonzalez urged better federal lobbying to secure HUD funding.

Other Items

  • Regarding the DeLancey Street drainage project (7R3-a), Council Member Gonzalez requested an anticipated completion date and a site meeting with the Engineering Director.
  • For the revaluation postponement (7R4-c) from 2025 to 2027, an answer from the Business Administrator was deferred to writing.
  • Council Member Ramos raised concerns about noise permits for outdoor concerts, asking for a review of the permit process and enforcement of curfews.

Key Outcomes

  • Ordinances on First Reading: 6F-a (revaluation special appropriation), 6F-b (property sale amendment), 6F-c (tree permit fee), 6F-d (taxicab rate adjustment), 6F-e (tax abatement for Halo development tower), 6F-f (shared dockless vehicles), 6F-g (inclusionary zoning), 6F-h (unconscionable rent increase), 6F-i (rent control definitions), 6F-j (window guard notice requirements) were all advanced to public hearing on August 2, 2023.
  • Ordinances on Final Passage: 6PSF-a, 6PSF-b (30-year tax abatements for two Halo development towers with affordable housing components), and 6PSF-c (capital improvement fund appropriation of $7,383,664) were approved.
  • Resolutions Approved: All resolutions from 7R1 through 7R12 and 7R8-o (City Clerk appointment) were adopted. Notable approvals include:
    • 7R1-o to 7R1-ar: Approximately 30 sub-recipient contracts for violence prevention and intervention using ARPA funds, totaling millions of dollars.
    • 7R2-a, 7R2-b, 7R2-c, 7R2-d, 7R2-e: Private sales and redevelopment agreements for residential projects.
    • 7R4-b: In-rem tax foreclosure of 56 properties.
    • 7R4-c: Extension of revaluation effective year to 2027.
    • 7R9-b: Acceptance of $1,019,417.93 grant for expansion of gunshot detection system.
    • 7R9-c: Acceptance of $595,000 grant for expansion of automatic license plate reader network.
  • Cannabis Letters of Support: Three letters were approved for Halsey Forum LLC, Herbernum, and Smoking Classic.
  • Appointments: Temitope Kudirat Adeshina appointed to the African Commission; Diego Munoz, Crisostomo Campos, Griselle Ponce, Maria Ylescas-Romero, and Lissette Morales re-appointed to the Hispanic Commission.
  • Ceremonial Street Designations: Approved for four individuals, with ceremonies scheduled in late July and August.
  • Special Event Fee Waivers: Approved for eight events.
  • Public Hearing Set: For items requiring a public hearing (e.g., 7R2-d), the hearing was scheduled for the next day (July 19, 2023) or later as needed.
  • Executive Session: The council moved into executive session after the public portion.

Meeting Transcript

And rates, Section 25 fare rates by amending various subsections to adjust the current taxicab rates and associated zones. Any questions? Yeah, Mr. Chair, I'll sponsor this. Sponsored. Yeah. Is there a second there? Second, Councilman Gonzalez. 6FC is an ordinance granting a 30-year tax abatement to 289-301 Washington Street, Urban Renewal 3 LLC for a project to construct a residential tower consisting of 234 market rate residential rental units, 58 affordable housing rental units, of which 15 units shall be restricted to tenants at 40 percent of area median income. 14 units shall be restricted to tenants at 60 percent AMI, and 29 units shall be restricted to tenants at 80 percent AMI located at 295-297 Washington Street in the Central Ward. Any questions? CNN continue. Any questions? Councilman Gonzalez. I I am not talking about this ordinance specifically, but we have to do something because uh let's say Vio, I believe one of the providers of the the scooters had one of them in front of my house for a week and a half. We called the company uh and they I I suppose refused to to pick it up until uh I believe uh somebody complained. So we have to make sure that this individual picked up this uh equipment on the on a regular basis on a timely basis, because I believe they are a nuisance in front of the houses. And in terms of that, councilman, there they're also parking them at in in traffic areas where uh if you look at one prospect, there's a yellow lines, and at night it's a blind side, and they're parked in they're parking them there. And if an ambulance or some unit goes through there or it's gonna have a it's gonna have a problem because there's no reflectors. The reflectors are really, and I have a video of the reflectors. You can't even see them. They have no good reflectors, these uh uh uh vehicles or whatever we call them, scooters. 6FG is an ordinance amending the revised general ordinances by amending Title 41, NORC Zoning and Land Use Regulations, Chapter 21, Inclusionary Zoning for Affordable Housing. Any questions? Uh sponsor. Sponsor? Yes. Is there a second? Second. Continue. 6FH is an ordinance amending Title II, Section 10, unconscionable rent increase by amending the definition of unconscionable rent and adding provisions to determine violations of this ordinance and penalties. Any questions? No questions, continue. I do I do sponsored by sponsor Kelly sponsors. Is there a second? We we talked about unconscionable and it mentions five percent. However, uh when the let's say it goes by the standard or whatever the market rate is at the time. So if someone is increasing, let's see, hypothetically, everyone is increasing the rent two percent, and I increase the rent four percent, even though it's below the five percent. Somebody can take me to court, and I have to defend in court uh because that rent might be considered unconscionable. If it is unconscionable, then I have to I cannot raise the rent for three years. I believe that's a very steep penal penalty, and uh we have to I believe we have to modify that. The other thing is that uh this uh ordinance applies to uh specifically to farmers to one family, two family, three family, and four family homes. Uh I believe we are doing a disservice to the homeowners of the city of Newark because some of these homeowners are one and two family homeowners that lease or rent their their space are counting on that rent to to pay their mortgage. If we are going to limit the the ability to raise the rent when the gas goes up, the electricity goes up, the taxes goes up, they might be in a position to lose the house. So we are creating, I believe we are creating a bigger problem because now that individual is going to have to sell the house to who? An institutional buyer, a corporation, an LLC, a trust, or who or whomever. So I believe that this uh amendment here uh might create more problems that uh it resolves. Thank you. Uh good morning, Kenyatta City of North Corporation Council. So, Councilman, I will take the opportunity to speak to you in more detail in reference to what your concerns are.

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