Editorial

For many years now, the problem of overcrowded rental properties has plagued residents on the south side of Bernardsville. The issue is once again making headlines, as long frustrated residents have again gone public with their complaints. At recent Borough Council meetings and in letters to town officials and this newspaper, the residents contend that boarding house owners are illegally “stacking’’ tenants, i.e., packing as many renters into houses as possible to maximize their profits. The situation, they claim, has resulted in regular late-night disturbances in this residential area, and safety issues. And while the landlords are fattening their bank accounts, their buildings are being neglected, dragging down local real estate values. It’s way past time that the borough develop a comprehensive, long-range approach for this situation, one that involves all segments of the community, including elected officials, law and zoning enforcement officers, the affected neighbors and renters, and the owners of the buildings. Municipal records obtained by this newspaper show that there have been efforts made to address the situation. According to these documents and interviews with officials, the former zoning officer spent many hours inspecting dozens of rental properties to resolve these often- thorny issues. But due to personnel turnover, and perhaps a lack of diligence among borough officials, those efforts appear to have slipped during the past two years. With the residents’ latest prodding, however, officials are once again at least talking about these complex issues They may want to take a closer look at what’s happening in nearby Morristown, where city officials have declared “war’’ on illegal stacking. As part of an overall crackdown on illegal rentals, Morristown has charged nearly 50 landlords with violating zoning laws. They have also taken what is believed to be the unprecedented step of sending the names of the violators to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in an attempt to apply serious financial pressure. Morristown officials are operating under the assumption that the landlords who have been illegally collecting rent from tenants - in many cases, recent immigrants who have nowhere else to live - have not paid appropriate taxes on that income. They are hoping the IRS will take up the battle to hit the landlords where it hurts most, the pocketbook. We would encourage Bernardsville officials to contact Morristown officials to determine whether similar tactics can be applied here as well. In the meanwhile, we also strongly support a suggestion made by one of the affected Bernardsville homeowners who recommended holding neighborhood meetings where all the concerns can be fully discussed. While the threat of legal action may be the only way to force landlords to upgrade their properties, face-to-face meetings amongst neighbors can also go a long way toward alleviating some of the stress currently facing the community.

©Recorder Newspapers 2005