Tenants at 429 Bergen Ave. in Jersey City spoke out after a six-month rent strike Saturday, demanding safe living conditions after withholding a total of nearly $60,000 from their landlord.
The rent strike was announced in early November, with tenants denouncing building owner Amir Ben-Yohanan as a slumlord for ignoring rent stabilized status, failing to provide maintenance, and charging punitive fees, as HCV first reported.
“Every tenant in Jersey City deserves a safe home. The City has issued multiple violations against this property, and we will continue to pursue maximum penalties against landlords who refuse to hold up their end of the deal with residents,” Mayor James Solomon said in a statement.
“Neglect is not a business model we will tolerate in Jersey City. We stand with the tenants of 429 Bergen Grand, and we will keep using every tool at our disposal until these conditions are fixed.”…