Tenants on Jersey City’s west side declared a rent strike over the weekend, exclaiming that their landlord is a slumlord for ignoring rent stabilized status, failing to provide maintenance, and charging punitive fees.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Roach infestations, mice infestations, missing kitchen appliances, charging a hundred dollars for late rent when Jersey City’s maximum is 35, random $400 court fees in your portal when you never been to court, charging market rate rent without an exemption from rent control,” Bergen Grand Tenant Association President Liv Malone said in a statement.
The Bergen Grand Tenant Association at 429 Bergen Ave. held a rally Saturday to announce that they will be withholding rent until their demands are met.
Earlier this year, the building was deemed to be covered by Jersey City’s rent stabilization ordinance, retroactive to 2019 with only legal increases from that time, which Amir Ben-Yohanon, the landlord, has not reflected in charges to tenants.
The building is rent-controlled and was purchased by the current landlord, Bergen Ave Investments, run by Ben-Yohanan.
In the winter of 2024-2025, city inspectors from Jersey City’s Quality of Life Taskforce issued many citations to the landlord after his other Jersey City property, owned through a different LLC (West of Hudson Realty Group), 35 Kensington, after the tenants went six weeks without heat.
According to municipal court records, there is a warrant for Ben-Yohanan’s arrest in East Orange for breaking the law in regards to: “superintendents in dwellings,” “hot and cold water,” and “sanitation and safety of dwelling”.
“Here’s what I think: if we are bleeding financially, they should bleed financially. There have always been more tenants than landlords, more of us than them. When we move this way, understanding our power, withholding our rent money, anticipating their reaction and empty retaliation tactics, landlords are put back in check,” Malone added.
An organizer for the Jersey City Tenants Union, Eli K. (he declined to give his last name), echoed a similar sentiment.
“Amir Ben-Yohanon is a slumlord. Tenants at 35 Kensington went the whole month of December without heat, tenants at 150 Belmont don’t have heat right now. He’s overcharging you all, he’s not fixing anything, but he’s got money to build this new development over on Communipaw,” he declared.
“We’re here to come after everyone, every single landlord who is taking the fruit of our labor, half our paycheck just for us to have a roof over our head. But Amir in particular is a blight on tenants and we want him to hear loud and clear that this is gonna stop … We know what buildings this man owns, we are gonna be talking to those tenants. If he’s your landlord come talk to us.”
Ben-Yohanan is also the owner of several businesses including 859-869 Communipaw Ave. which recently received $30 million in financing, according to The Real Deal.
Jersey City Ward B council candidate Joel Brooks, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, said the city must due better for their tenants.
“I was a rent control tenant for nine years and it took me almost that length of time to actually pay the legal rent. The system is broken for tenants in Jersey City. There’s two sides, there’s tenants and there’s landlords,” he exclaimed.
“We are the majority in Jersey City, we’re going to flex our muscles. Tenants all over Jersey City, you can organize in your building. All it takes is knocking on the doors of your neighbors, a few over for coffee, Jersey City Tenant Union – talk to them.”
This is not the first time Jersey City tenants have complained about the living conditions of Ben-Yohanan’s buildings.
Residents of 35 Kensington Ave. and 150 Belmont Ave. complained of no heat, water damage, a broken elevator, and more, on Christmas Eve last year, as HCV first reported.
Ben-Yohanan did not return an email seeking comment.
In 2020, he founded the influencer management company, Clubhouse Media Group.
According to a 2021 Daily Mail report, “CMG offers young influencers the opportunity to stay rent-free at so-called ‘content mansions’ in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Europe in exchange for creating branded social media content.”
The influencers, who were as young as 15, say he bullied them, forced them to go on dates, and made misogynistic comments about their periods.
Ben-Yohanan later sued the teenage girls for defamation for over $2.5 million, as Business Insider reported. CMG was acquired by Tonji Healthcare Group in August 2020 and taken public.
I too am a victim of the notorious 590 investment! I reside at 590 Bergen avenue. I control my heat n hot water but I pay for it. This building is all electric! This west of Hudson properties recently took me to court and I won! Lies lies. They stressed me out and when I appeared with my attorney..case DISMISSED. Slumlord. They have city in their pockets!!!
Avalon Bay properties are slumlord properties. They are despicable corporate entity that could care less about tenants exposing them to carcinogens, radiations, mycotoxins where tenants actually die. The city has done nothing even though they’ve been notified for 8 years. The apartments are so poorly made. You can hear conversations on the street even if you’re 30 flights up. There’s no vents in the bathroom, no insulation, no heat half the time yet. They charge fair market tenants over $4,000 per month. It is disgusting. Shame on Avalon Bay.
The same thing is happening to my daughter & grandchildren
Mold all through the 2 family home
He doesn’t pay his pseg, or fix anything
Rewired it into my daughters apartment
& also had illegal tenants in the basement
& now my Granddaughter has been passing out & the ambulance had to come get her & after passing out she lost her voice & had to write on a tablet to answer Dr’s questions.
This man has been fined & that does nothing.
All is reported to public assistance , pseg ,code & compliance & still nothing happens.
Can someone please help my daughter ?
Her address is 45 terhune ave
Apt # 1 jersey city 07305
Thank you.
Obviously the mayor refused to appoint a jersey city tenant advocate attorney like other counties. I reside at 2672 Kennedy Blvd Apt 502 in jersey city since May 1998. The bldg currently still has 32 apts that are rent control as confirmed by the tenant landlord commission and hud. We’ve been thru 7 owners/ property managers as the previous property manager ( Safeguard realty overseen by Wanda Rodriguez and was terminated for embezzlement of thousands from the few illegal condos without the present property management (D&I Prime LLC) didn’t pursue her being locked up and prosecuted. Fast forward D&I Prime LLC refused to hand out annual leases per Hudson County and applied for a landlord hardship increase of %42 across the board for renters. I adamantly refused when testified in front of the rent leveling board July 19th 2024 which is on youtube for viewing. I filed 2 petitions of lack of service and illegal rent increase. Mind you it has been now 15 months of them leading me on saying by phone call conversation that after they gave the property manager 6 months to abate all violations of the bldg and all apts. Mines have lack of heat, master bedroom window frame leaking since 2018 till now. Have black mold which had affected my asthma which had me severe sick in Oct and Dec 2024 and July, August and recently Sept 26th all had me bed ridden for few days. Had electrical fire aug 2024 in my kitchen wall outlet while at work and recently Sept 2025. The water Leaks damaged 3 Ac installed in master bedroom. Lived with wholes in my bathroom wall 3 yrs all documented with still photos and videos. All forward to the rent leveling board who voted yes in August 2025 which they litterly added on the max CPI of Hudson County onto the illegal rent. I had to appeal that in Aug 2025 and still nothing from the Rent level board[ Mr Shyrone Richardson, Mr Eric bulwick, Mrs Ashley Hinton] Had to get help from northeast legal aid services on summit Ave but they where users saying I have no case and going in front of a judge would be futile. My rent control apt $937 -$1285 overnight. And they tacked on 3.4 % cpi of 2024. I had to contact the governors ,NJ DA ,Jersey City DA , jersey city Councilman Boggiano and senator Mukherji office but apparently no one seems to care. And as a former 🇺🇸 army veteran of 6yrs who served overseas Mannheim Germany, South Korea, Fort Riley, and Fort Knox. Was awarded several outstanding military services certificates while in Canada (water Town during war games with the Canadian military where I cane across an overturned mini military truck carrying hand grenades, anti tank missiles but with no regards to my safety I pulled out the driver and passenger..Then went back and unloaded all the ammunition before help arrived. Recieved the distinguish Bronze star . Yesterday received a call to testify in Trenton along with Senator Mukherji to pass a tenant protection bill. I told his office the rent leveling board members to be removed as no citizens must be on that committee with no past legal ie attorney or ex judges. I’m still fighting to forces of that unprofessional state run agency now 15 months with nothing. This behavior must stop now for all rent control apts bldgs.If I can find a pro- Bono attorney to assist me as I can still here that sister on the committee to my right with a smirk saying fight it.
If anyone has contact with a pro-Bono attorney as I want heads to role.
Can be reached at mario.valmon@yahoo.com