Jersey City Ward E Councilman James Solomon is calling on fellow mayoral candidate Jim McGreevey, a former governor, to return $62,600 from LeFrak employees and related PACs in light of the state filing an antitrust lawsuit against major landlords including them.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Jim McGreevey has been happy to take campaign donations from these crooked developers who allegedly schemed against tenants, which is why he should do the right thing and send the money back,” Solomon said in a statement.
“Jersey City’s hard working renters deserve to have a mayor who is on their side, not one that has filled his campaign coffers with donations from developers quick to sell out the people of Jersey City for their own bottom line. As mayor, I will only be on the side of renters and will take on greedy landlords who buy politicians to get sweetheart deals that don’t benefit us.”
Yesterday, New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin announced that his office, in conjunction with the Division of Consumer Affairs, announced an antitrust lawsuit against RealPage and 10 major landlords in northern New Jersey, as HCV first reported.
Those landlords include LeFrak, AvalonBay, Bozzuto, and Veris Residential – which have properties in Hoboken and Jersey City – alleging that they used RealPage software to allegedly perpetuate a rent-raising scheme.
Solomon was the first elected official to speak out in favor of the litigation yesterday.
“Allegedly, RealPage — alongside many of Jersey City’s most prominent developers — directly contributed to our city’s affordable housing crisis by fixing rent prices here so they could profit. This is despicable behavior, and I look forward to swift justice on behalf of our city,” he said in a statement.
Back in June, the Jersey City Council approved a resolution sponsored by Solomon urging Gov. Phil Murphy (D) and the legislature to ban rent-setting algorithms such as RealPage.
McGreevey, the top fundraiser in the mayoral race thus far, did not return an email seeking comment.
