WEST ORANGE, NJ — The West Orange Town Council unanimously voted to approve a $135,000 settlement involving the Ron Jolyn Apartments at their meeting this week.
A rockslide that took place at 275 Northfield Avenue during Hurricane Ida in September 2021 left dozens of families without a home. Although some of the displaced managed to relocate to new residences, others struggled to find new places to live in one of the most expensive housing markets in the state after being ordered to evacuate by town officials that October.
West Orange temporarily paid hotel bills for the displaced tenants, but discontinued that aid in early December 2021.
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The township later filed a lawsuit seeking to recover expenses that were incurred evacuating and housing the impacted tenants. A settlement with Ron Jolyn Realty and P S Realty got a green light from the town council at their meeting on Tuesday.
The resolution approving the settlement reads as follows:
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WHEREAS, on April 28, 2022, the Township of West Orange (the “Township”) filed a Complaint commencing a lawsuit captioned: Township of West Orange v. Ron Jolyn Realty & P S Realty, Docket No. ESX-L-2518-22 (the “Ron Jolyn Litigation”) seeking recovery of costs incurred by the Township related to the evacuation and temporary housing of tenants from the garden apartments at 275 Northfield Avenue (the “Property”) following a slope collapse at the Property which occurred on September 2, 2021; and
WHEREAS, Defendants Ron Jolyn Realty and P S Realty (the “Ron Jolyn Defendants”) have negotiated a proposed settlement of the Township’s claims to resolve the Ron Jolyn Litigation as set forth in the proposed Release, substantially in the form annexed hereto as Exhibit “A;” WHEREAS, the proposed Release sets forth that the Ron Jolyn Defendants shall pay to the Township a settlement amount of $135,000 in exchange for release as to the Township’s claims; and
WHEREAS, following the Township’s receipt of funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”), the remaining balance of the costs incurred by the Township for the evacuation and temporary housing of the tenants were $155,000; and
WHEREAS, the proposed settlement is acceptable to the Township based on the proposed terms set forth in the Release.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED, that the Township be and is hereby authorized to agree to the settlement of the Ron Jolyn Litigation as set forth in the Release substantially in the form annexed hereto as Exhibit “A;” and be it further
RESOLVED, that the Mayor be authorized to execute the Release, annexed hereto as Exhibit “A” on behalf of the Township; and be it further
RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution shall be kept on file with Office of the Township Clerk in conformance with all applicable governing law.
‘OUR LIVES WERE RUINED’
During the public comment portion of the meeting, some former residents of the Ron Jolyn Apartments spoke about how the incident – and the town’s response – left them reeling.
“Our lives were ruined,” a former tenant told the council, accompanied by her two daughters.
“I feel like we were wronged – and there should be compensation to all of us,” she added.
Joyce Rudin, a town council candidate, said the money that West Orange is getting from its settlement with the landlord, which she described as a “pittance,” should go to the residents who were impacted by the landslide – not the township.
Watch footage from the Oct. 8 meeting below (video is cued to residents’ comments).
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