At the March council meeting, Solicitor Howard Long has announced updates to a rent increase already approved for Blossom Towers (Parc Apartments) by the rent control board on Jan. 11 and put on hold at council’s Jan. 24 session.
“I did correspond with their counsel,” Long said at the March 13 council meeting. “They understand that they have to do a do-over. They understand they can’t implement the rents. They’ve been very difficult with the residents, but we’re making sure that the appropriate notices are going out.”
Another issue regarding the proposed rent increase is that the January meeting was not recorded, as it should have been.
Long said Blossom Towers’ residents typically had one of two elevators working; after the January meeting, both were fixed, but they are again non-functioning. Long and Business Administrator Erin Knoedler were also in touch with residents about incomplete improvements.
Council also expressed its concern and frustration on the issue because residents with disabilities and seniors rely on the elevators.
“It gives us an opportunity at whenever the next hearing is scheduled to have an audience with those folks – their management and their counsel – to express our displeasure,” Long noted. “ … Having two elevators down, it’s just not appropriate.”
He also said the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) had been contacted and is now trying to meet with the county health department regarding an updated inspection. Knoedler said some inspections have been done, but officials are waiting on an update about which are done and which are not.
During her comments, Mayor Susan Shin Angulo warned the public about recent phone scams involving township residents, including callers who claim they are due payment of fines and “spoofing,” which occurs when a caller’s ID appears as the township police department or the non-emergency number.
In other news:
- Council received and added a recycling tonnage grant for $166,073.67 ito the budget.
- Community center renovations are estimated to be done at the end of March, after a delay caused by supply-chain issues.
- The Division on Mental Health and Addiction Services Youth Leadership Grant from the Governor’s Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse was extended to allow services to continue at no additional cost from March 30 to June 30.
- Council approved the purchase of 28 automatic external defibrillator replacements
The next council meeting will be on Monday, March 27, at 7:30 p.m.
