The Township of North Bergen is issuing a $2,000 daily fine to the Westview Towers building owners due to recent issues with heat and hot water.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Keeping our residents provided with safe and warm living conditions is non-negotiable, and the conditions at Westview Towers are unacceptable,” Mayor Nick Sacco said in a statement.
“The township will use every tool available to hold the landlord accountable, and in the interim our Building and Health Department staff are on-site and working tirelessly until this issue is resolved and every tenant has the services they deserve.”
His sentiment is echoed in a letter that he sent to tenants of the building, located at 6115 Granton Ave., and posted on social media yesterday.
In direct communication with the contractor, township officials were advised that all heating equipment in the building’s boiler room requires replacement.
This work is currently underway and the contractor has pledged that heat would resume last night, with hot water service expected to be fully restored on Wednesday.
In the meantime, warming centers remain open for affected tenants at the Terrace Building at 6800 Columbia Ave. and at Lawler Towers at 6121 Grand Ave.
Assemblyman-elect Larry Wainstein (D-33), a three-time mayoral candidate who is likely to run again in 2027, claimed that the issues at the building are wide spanning and should’ve been addressed a long time ago.
“For nearly a decade, the residents of Westview Towers in North Bergen, have been forced to live in substandard conditions. The Sacco Administration knew it, but looked the other way. Sacco sides with out-of-town corporate landlords who don’t breath our air or drink our water. How can they possibly represent us?” he said in a statement.
“It shouldn’t take decades to give tenants better living conditions. It takes political courage. I am calling on Sacco to immediately order a full and comprehensive inspection of Westview Towers to protect the health, safety, and well-being of the hardworking residents who live there.”
Then early this evening, Sacco said the heat and water issues had been fully remedied.
“All of our residents deserve safe, reliable living conditions, and I’m pleased that heat and hot water have now been completely restored,” he stated.
“I want to thank our Building and Health Department staff for their tireless work on-site throughout this situation, and we will continue to hold landlords accountable to ensure this never happens again.”
Editor’s note: This story was updated with a comment from Assemblyman-elect Larry Wainstein (D-33) and additional comment from Mayor Nick Sacco.
