A Hoboken tenant’s GoFundMe page has been restarted as housing advocates await a decision on an appeal filed over a roughly $1,700 rental hike that was approved in Hudson County Superior Court back in December.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Both the Board and Mr. [Jeff] Trupiano have offered return on equity approaches that would be compliant with the TPA’s protections, and which amici support,” William Fairhurst, of the Fair Share Housing Center, and Renee Steinhagen, of the NJ Appleseed, wrote in an amici curiae brief filed with the Superior Court of New Jersey Appellate Division on Thursday.
“Although the Board’s approach would still incorporate an estimation of the value of Mr. Trupiano’s dwelling unit, the value would be discounted significantly due to its rent-controlled status, and Amaconn would be entitled to a lower return and resulting rent.”
They said this outcome would ensure affordable rent for Trupiano and that the legislative intent of the Tenants Protection Act of 1992 must be followed by not allowing condominium conversions to destroy affordable housing.
Trupiano’s attorneys further argue that the rental increase “does not guarantee landlords a return on equity investment based on the dollar market value of the rent-controlled
unit, nor does it explicitly identify a particular method for calculating equity,” based on Hoboken’s rent control ordinance.
Trupiano has been in court since 2017 over this issue, as his landlord fought to levy an a hardship rent increase of approximately $2,800 per month. The GoFundMe page reports raising $15,424 from 230 donors to date.
After three remands to the Hoboken Rent Leveling and Stabilization Board, the trial court ordered a $1,717 rent increase effective December 2022.
Trupiano lives at 703 Park Ave. in Hoboken, his home since the early 90s, and earns approximately $43,000, the amici curiae brief says.
” … Judge Turula, in which the court found that the Board was arbitrary and capricious in its determination of Amaconn’s hardship rent increase, and awarded Amaconn with a new monthly rent increase of $1,717 for a total rent of about $2,400,” the court filing explains.
“Two-thirds of the rent increase, or $1,568.25 per month, provides Amaconn with a return on its alleged equity investment and is in addition to the minimum rent needed for Amaconn to meet its operating expenses for the unit.”
The filing also indicates that Trupiano’s only way to cover the full rent is via money raised via GoFundMe, though that will likely only last for another month or two.
According to court records, Amaconn Realty, Inc. purchased 703 Park Ave., the building where Trupiano lives, and spent about $1 million on renovations in 2001.
He also disputed the notion that his unit in particular received $76,000 in renovations, since his home has an exterior heater in the kitchen, no central air, and a broken smoke detector, among other issues.
The Hoboken Fair Housing Association initially launched the GoFundMe page for Trupiano about a year ago and, about a week later, he and his attorney, Dana Wefer, sat down with HCV to discuss the matter in detail.
“The ultimate issue in this case is whether the landlord on this property received a just and fair return in his investment because that is what he is untitled to under the constitution,” Wefer said at the time.
“And that’s been this issue in this case from the beginning, but it’s gotten very confused and very chaotic because the landlord has assisted – that as part of this fair return – he’s entitled to his fair return at equity.”
Wefer, who is representing Trupiano pro bono, is expected to request an expedited hearing and decision from the court.