Asbury Park Voters Reject Rent Control Ordinance

ASBURY PARK—By a two-thirds majority, Asbury Park voters have shot down a proposed ordinance that would have brought stricter rent control to the town.

The vote on Tuesday was 63.41 to 36.59 percent, according to preliminary votes tallied by the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office.

According to NJ.com, the vote on Tuesday was the end of a campaign by the Asbury Park Affordable Housing Coalition to put the issue up for a vote as the growing popularity of Asbury Park has caused property values and rents to go up exponentially, which is driving out or have already driven out residents.

After seeing the proposal from the APAHC, the city council chose to introduce their own referendum that is seen as a more landlord-friendly referendum, which put up the APAHC proposal for a vote. The council’s referendum was adopted in March and is scheduled to take effect June 1.

The ordinance introduced by the council grants landlords vacancy decontrol but also does offer exemptions for properties like group and boarding homes along with affordable housing and short-term rental units.

The council's ordinance will create a seven-person Rent Leveling Board with two landlords and two tenants, whose job is to issue rules and regulations, supply information, assist with compliance, hear complaints, and handle any violations.

The APAHC’s proposal would have seen rent increases capped at 4 percent, or what the inflation rate is, according to the Consumer Price Index, whatever one is lower, NJ.com said. The resolution adopted by the council caps rent increases at 3.5 percent or whatever the inflation rate set by the Consumer Price Index is, whichever is higher.

The APAHC’s resolution would have included all rental properties in town, while the council’s resolution excludes rental properties with less than five units.