[{"_1":2,"_97":-5,"_98":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,85],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",7311820,"mediaKeyId","5548112-a69e996baf6015d44de510774b1de0ba","parentId",5548112,"title","Passaic council sets proposed 3% annual rent-cap for second reading after hours of public comment","audioSeconds",6109,"startMs",1458000,"endMs",7567000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5548112-a69e996baf6015d44de510774b1de0ba&start=1458&end=7567","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5548112-a69e996baf6015d44de510774b1de0ba/thumbnail_1458000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/7311820/Passaic-City/Passaic-County/New-Jersey/Passaic-council-sets-proposed-3-annual-rent-cap-for-second-reading-after-hours-of-public-comment","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/7311820-5a1aeb0305f88112a48ce3a8a7b5bb6b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775633547&Signature=hsTkhzuKsiQ96dV9jUYwH00pser-7Lv6sjFeBZ~ba3uslbyTaDiKd1tGDUUa17tG47ZAjWlCXfBHRIISrGjR5avJHHNpjsuZQ-eo9M~goK4z896HmXLg5LksL7MU3HxHkHUVwJddoRKkmSjsEn1tiQl5EpIm2pj~I1RSYo9-iHZl9AxDZNlGWLO8YjMIf4SSAwyjkNX2itEEB4DQmgiN7whYd7gDQXDmRfi7K3YuMZmVx15hum7WRIwgf-K9Mdis1YzwdxPpfUXIe46dmK80VqYADHJiTQ45rJLdPN8k0~~l8TsGeLTkFDxHfpeAbiZYVluV8K44rOIETFKf3I8OPw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Passaic","date","2025-08-06T21:30:14Z","article","PASSAIC, N.J. — On Aug. 5 the Passaic City Council voted to set a proposed amendment to Chapter 2-31 (rent stabilization) — which would cap annual rent increases at 3% — for a second and final reading on Sept. 2, after more than an hour of public testimony that largely urged tighter limits than the city’s current 6% cap.

Supporters said the lower cap and vacancy control are needed to prevent displacement in a city with a high share of renters and steep rent growth. “Most of the tenants in this room have been paying rent increases double and triple and quadruple and quintuple the inflation rate for many, many years,” said Mitchell Khan, vice president and director of organizing for the New Jersey Tenants Organization. “I strongly urge you to adopt it.”

The petition-driven measure — listed on the agenda as an amendment to Chapter 2-31 — drew a steady stream of speakers representing tenant groups, legal aid organizations, immigrant communities and service providers. Antonio Hernandez, a member of Make the Road New Jersey, told the council he and his family split about $2,000 in monthly rent and asked leaders to “stabilize rents at 3% and make vacancy control and support efforts to make Passaic tenants live with dignity and respect.”

Why it matters: Several speakers said rent growth is outpacing wages and pushing residents into overcrowded or substandard housing. Adrian Orozco, who identified himself with “32 AJSCIU” in remarks to the council, cited figures he said show 73% of Passaic households rent and a cited surge in eviction filings in Passaic County. Domestic-violence advocates warned rent spikes undermine survivors’ ability to stay in safe housing.

Council action and next steps: Council members first closed the public hearing. Rather than adopt the 3% measure on final reading that night, the council voted to reject immediate final adoption and instead set the proposed ordinance down for a second and final reading on Sept. 2. The roll-call on that procedural vote recorded unanimous “yes” responses from Councilmen/women present: Joseph Monk, James Love, Maria Mello, Daniel Mayer, Luis Garcia, Ana Colombo Montanez and Council President Schaer. The motion therefore passed to schedule the Sept. 2 hearing.

Council President Schaer told the public the city and organizers had discussed the timeline and that the council expected a short period to finalize language with petitioners before final consideration. He said the item would return for formal action at the Sept. 2 meeting.

What supporters asked for: Multiple speakers asked the council not only to lower the annual cap to 3% but also to add vacancy control — which proponents say prevents large rent jumps when units turn over — and to preserve hardship and capital-improvement exceptions for legitimate landlord needs. “A 3% cap protects tenants even when politicians fail, even when enforcement is nonexistent,” said Daniel O’Kirschner, who described experience with local rent-control efforts in Jersey City.

What opponents said: Some landlords and small property owners urged caution, saying small, multi-family landlords face rising taxes and maintenance costs. One owner described mortgage and tax burdens on two- and three-unit properties and urged the council to allow time to evaluate the 6% cap the council adopted earlier this year.

Context: Speakers and advocates repeatedly referenced a rent-stabilization ordinance the council passed earlier in the year that set a 6% cap; several public commenters said the city’s experience under that cap has not stopped large rent increases and urged the council to adopt a tighter limit and vacancy control. The council’s vote on Aug. 5 does not adopt the 3% cap — it only places the proposed amendment on the Sept. 2 agenda for second and final reading, at which time the council may vote to adopt, amend or reject it.

The council accepted public testimony on the ordinance that evening and will hear the measure again at its Sept. 2 meeting.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Passaic Council Meeting - August 5th, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","On Aug. 5 the Passaic City Council voted to set a proposed amendment to Chapter 2-31 (rent stabilization) — which would cap annual rent increases at 3% — for a second and final reading on Sept. 2, following extensive public comment urging the lower cap and vacancy control.","taxTitle","Passaic City, Passaic County, New Jersey","taxId",12672,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":44,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":50,"_51":81,"_53":82,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":83,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":84,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6700103,"Passaic council moves proposed 3% rent cap to second reading after hours of testimony",2415,3873000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5548112-a69e996baf6015d44de510774b1de0ba&start=1458&end=3873","/articles/6700103/Passaic-City/Passaic-County/New-Jersey/Passaic-council-moves-proposed-3-rent-cap-to-second-reading-after-hours-of-testimony","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6700103-b0f9cef6a5919bea1e1e30b1f9828346/orig.mp4?Expires=1775633547&Signature=K1TPaJNvr1z~5j4SY72ytyTqotwQBiZIUAOXNekMxzz34-CsZEnj0p1FX0Ou~49cbcIMxsqO7Mis3aGX8omNNNfl~V32ntIg5MY4EVyCGZMKceDII4Jel~6IOmCGaG21JQYargiogsveKPPjp2RMA~9j9q5NWu2NOpnDWJjOkFEpjH1cZHr4Ro6FEcMFG1CxLq1ec8Deh6Jv~SgOePsMvnM~k43v-o7SBkDHSVmh5Oqsy2mORIzlCDDrSBCY-gZGT57HtVP25aOy7d5mBCR2TxP-L3OjGqsT9paQ-50zQKYllMuddoKMMhUuWxS7PBV0vWUCzRaQ-aBuy6zxeKlDqA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Passaic City Council voted Aug. 5 to set a revised rent‑stabilization ordinance for second and final reading on Sept. 2, 2025, a measure that would lower the maximum annual rent increase to 3% if ultimately adopted.

The measure was moved to a second reading after a lengthy public hearing in which more than two dozen residents, tenant organizers and advocacy groups urged council members to adopt a 3% cap and vacancy control. The hearing opened when Council President Schaer called the item, listed on the agenda as “chapter 231, rent stabilization.”

Supporters said current rent increases are driving displacement and harming vulnerable households. “A 3% cap gives people a fighting chance,” said Carla, a representative of Lasos America, Unida, and Fuerza Migrate, describing families she said pay high rents for substandard housing. Mitchell Khan, vice president and director of organizing for the New Jersey Tenants Organization, who said he has worked on rent-control laws in the state for decades, told the council the proposed reduction was “long overdue.”

Organizers from Make the Road New Jersey and other tenant groups framed the proposal as a protection for working families, seniors and survivors of domestic violence. Natalie Catarina Bracamonti Melendez de Nogueira, a Passaic teacher and petitioner for the referendum, said the city had collected more than 400 signatures supporting stronger limits and vacancy control. Nicole Morella, co‑executive director of the New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence, told the council that predictable rents are critical for survivors trying to rebuild stable lives.

Several speakers described finding mold, pest infestations, and other habitability problems alongside steep rent increases. “My rent was $987 and the increase brought it up to $2,257,” Mariela, a Make the Road New Jersey organizer, told the council, recounting the stress and health impacts she said followed the increase.

Speakers who identified as landlords or property owners urged caution. One small landlord said he owns two‑family homes, pays roughly $16,000 in annual taxes on his properties and worried that a 3% cap would be particularly burdensome for owners of small buildings who must cover large, infrequent costs including roofing or other major repairs.

After the public portion, the council voted to deny a separate petition version of the ordinance and to advance a council-drafted amendment (listed as item 44) amending section 231‑23 of the city code to reduce the maximum allowable rental increase to 3% and to schedule a second and final reading for Sept. 2. Council members voting in favor in the roll call were Councilman Monk, Councilman Love, Councilwoman Mello, Councilman Mayer, Councilman Garcia, Councilwoman Colombo Montanez and Council President Schaer.

Mayor Laura and council members said they expected a short period of further drafting to reconcile language between the petitioners and the administration before final adoption. Council President Schaer indicated there had been preliminary agreement with tenant organizers to finalize details in a few days to weeks and then return for the final vote.

The proposed ordinance retains administrative provisions discussed earlier this year, including hardship and capital improvement pass‑throughs, but the council and organizers signaled there would be additional drafting before adoption. No final policy was adopted at the Aug. 5 meeting; the council’s action was to set the revised ordinance for additional public consideration and a final vote on Sept. 2.

If adopted at second reading, the ordinance would replace the city’s earlier 6% cap adopted earlier in 2025. City staff and tenant advocates said questions about enforcement, vacancy control mechanics and how to handle new construction or substantial rehabilitation remain to be finalized.

Next steps: the council will post the revised ordinance, take public comment again at the Sept. 2 meeting and conduct a final roll‑call vote. Organizers in the room urged residents to attend that session; tenant groups said they planned continued outreach and legal review during the interim.","After more than two hours of public comment, the Passaic City Council voted to set a revised rent-stabilization ordinance — reducing the annual allowable rent increase to 3% — for second and final reading on Sept. 2, 2025. Dozens of tenants, advocates and some landlords spoke during a packed public hearing.",{"_33":86,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":87,"_41":88,"_43":89,"_45":90,"_47":91,"_49":92,"_51":93,"_53":94,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":95,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":96,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6700099,"Passaic officials say new downtown parking deck is on budget; council approves related change orders",4273,467000,4740000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5548112-a69e996baf6015d44de510774b1de0ba&start=467&end=4740","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5548112-a69e996baf6015d44de510774b1de0ba/thumbnail_467000.jpg","/articles/6700099/Passaic-City/Passaic-County/New-Jersey/Passaic-officials-say-new-downtown-parking-deck-is-on-budget-council-approves-related-change-orders","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6700099-cca79833f0b2d1c8cc0be792a9ee113a/orig.mp4?Expires=1775633547&Signature=Bl9HSfu1piOdw4RMNCsjkVt5ONVaWbVUXNvsj4g9cRtYNBi7yZ07QCHUt3dIcgAGdr3NHVFP5gw5cPkAsCBtlRNBl9rSVO5L4biN5DMwCcJu45mcBvbaKhK4vLY0bmxwqMIIWQfAuw2gKcFP9FhZuVxUozVPAlXvdhrgZd~YYsWpl6hVDOyZ~0WOekvRZ8lUj~jiMUoqgcsu~8o4Je6P3K1wrZ9dF3F7u2mMan66s5JI7iQWGCVHxwmXDVt7TUKYDRinNJWoYZKAzv7Dh8s1PJrS9Cqdr9xTuEs6-r8Q5Uub62n8Jk-knmbV0zU0isZ6COypyGrLUK52AACTiprtOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Passaic city officials told the City Council on Aug. 5 that the downtown parking deck project will cost about $14 million and came in essentially on budget after approved change orders.

At the council meeting, City Administrator Varun Fernandez (staff referenced in the meeting) explained that the project had a budget allocation of $14 million and that final costs totaled approximately $13,662,008.74, with remaining funds used for added items such as electric vehicle charging stations and building security systems. “Ultimately, the deck, when it’s all said and done, is $14,000,000, which is exactly on point,” an administration representative told the council.

Council members asked about a grand‑opening date; staff said they hoped to open the deck “sometime next week” pending final preparations and that members of the council would be given advance notice. The mayor’s earlier update to the council also referenced the deck as having “over 310 spaces” and noted several electric vehicle chargers on the first and second levels.

During the resolutions portion of the meeting, the council approved a set of routine items that included final change orders and credits related to the deck and approved the successful bidder for a restaurant/residence space in the garage (listed as item 32 in the agenda). City staff said the successful bidder plans to operate a restaurant in the ground‑floor retail space adjacent to the deck.

Separately, the mayor’s update and staff comments noted other infrastructure work scheduled or being awarded: Gregory Avenue resurfacing (Madison Street to Pennington Avenue), a Howard Avenue drainage improvement award, and county resurfacing on Broadway, Randolph, Paulison and Pennington (Passaic County program).

Council members and staff characterized the parking deck project as unusually close to its projected cost. “Excellent work,” one council member said during the discussion. The council approved the related resolutions by roll call during the items‑20‑through‑41 consent block.

The council also directed staff to provide council members advance notice for the deck’s opening and to continue coordination on charging infrastructure and tenant permitting for the ground‑floor commercial space.

No litigation, contractor termination or financing shortfall was reported during the meeting for the deck project.","City officials told the Passaic City Council the recently completed downtown parking deck came in on budget after change orders; the council approved routine resolutions including final change orders and a commercial tenant selection for deck retail space.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Passaic council sets proposed 3% annual rent-cap for second reading after hours of public comment

Passaic council moves proposed 3% rent cap to second reading after hours of testimony

Passaic officials say new downtown parking deck is on budget; council approves related change orders