5:35 on Thursday, January I want to say 22nd. Um, uh, so I'm calling to order this meeting of the Highland Park Rent Control Board. Um, our first order of visit, well, first of all, um, OPMA. Uh, this meeting is called to order in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act. Notice that this meeting was
provided to the Home News Tribune, the Star Ledger, and the Highland Park Planet on December 30th, 2025, and was posted on the Burough website at www.hpau.com and on the bulletin board at Burough Hall uh 221 South Avenue, Highland Park,
New Jersey, and has remained continuously posted as required by law. So, our first order of business um is to approve the minutes from the meeting in September. Can um can we get a motion to approve? >> So moved. >> We get a second.
>> Second. >> Any objections to approving these minutes? See none. Minutes are approved. Um let's move on to the selection of the chairperson. We can open it up for
nominations. >> I nominate HP. >> Happy to accept. Any others? All right. Any objections to HP serving as the chair of the Highland Park Rank Control Board for the
2026 year? >> Would that be you? >> That's me. >> Okay. >> See none. Uh motion is approved. Uh thank you all. Nomination for selection of a vice chairperson. Can we get nominations? >> I nominate Cinda.
>> Any nominations? I will second that. See none. Um, are there any objections to Linda serving as the vice chairperson for the 2026 term? See none. Motion is approved. Thank you all. Happy to serve again. Happy to
serve Lucinda again. Um, our next order of business is the approval of the meeting schedule. Do we have a copy of that? >> I can go print one out for everybody, but I sent it all to you. It's the same thing. >> The same thing on Thursdays. very very it's about one. >> I don't know that we need a print out then. >> Yeah, it's it's it's the same
>> unless people have >> got >> Oh, then maybe can we get a print out then? >> I want to make sure we know what we're voting on. >> Sure. >> We'll wait. >> Let's move temporarily into recess. [clears throat] I guess I
>> Yes, I think we met at um at one of the Is there one? >> [clears throat] >> Yeah, Stephanie said [laughter] >> I [cough] was here with Aaron last year.
>> Oh yeah, maybe that was when I met you. >> I was I was here with Aaron last year at one of the um [snorts] >> So you're gonna fill in >> just for today. Oh, just
>> thank you for being so careful on that turn. I was surprised. The reason I looked is because whenever I most people whenever we cross there people whip around and almost hit you. So just [clears throat] I was like that person is so nice. [laughter] I was like
>> yeah normally it's a crossing guard there but I think it wasn't the time. Yeah, it gets it gets crazy that I I know someone in town, she broke her pelvis. She was hit by a car and zipped around that corner. >> Oh, that same corner. >> That exact left. They don't look and they just zip around.
>> Oh, the is it better? >> Well, this is at fifth and rar when are fifth and they're making a left onto 27. >> I don't know what it is. I They just >> go and I've almost been hit twice. I
seem to not know about pedestrians having the right of way. >> Oh, that's out the way though. >> So, I was so I was so surprised because you were waiting. I was like, "Oh, wait. [laughter] >> I have the same fear every time." Alan Benner crossing over first where you
can't see and the cars are going. >> My executive director was coming from he got hit. He got hit like >> really. I mean, it was pretty bad actually. We took out a house like the other car crashed into one of the houses >> and every time I cross that I'm like I'm inching out looking and it's
>> terrified every time >> first. >> So Benner like if you're crossing over first right uh on Benner >> because you can't see the crossing but there like it's a wide enough road that >> Yeah, >> it's going fast. We should look in the four-way stop there with my >> and because it's a wide road people go
faster. >> People go quickly faster. Yeah. All right. Uh we now have a printed copy. So let's call the meeting back into order. Okay. Um uh give you a chance to review it. >> Make sure everyone's had a chance to review the schedule. >> Yeah. So just just in general, it's the
fourth Thursday of each month except for November and December where it inter that would interfere with the holidays and so I moved it to the third Thursday. >> And you also sent us electronic. >> Yeah. Yeah. I said it just might have been over the holidays and you know gets
lost in your inbox. You need a copy to put on your fridge from whatever. >> And then what is September 24th? That's like bold. >> That's bolded because that's when we have to vote on the uh the rate increase. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. >> Because October 15th is the deadline. 22nd falls after that. So
>> do you read these I mean any of these other meetings have the potential to be you know canled if we don't have business but that one has to be held just like this one. >> So just hold these dates on your calendar um if you can and most of them we will end up not needing to pass.
Let's move for approval. Um well, first motion to approve the uh schedule for 2026. We get a motion. So move. >> Get a second. >> Second. >> Is there any discussion on this? Any potential issues? Request for changes.
See none. Um we'll go ahead and take an actual roll call vote on this because I think this is officially has to be approved. >> Okay. Um >> HP >> HP uh is I yes >> yes
>> Elsie >> Elsie >> yes >> I'll take [laughter] >> Diane >> yes >> and [laughter] okay so I think that's >> all right so motion is approved um
there's no other business on the agenda. Is there any new business that needs to be raised? >> Seeing none, the chair will entertain a motion to adjourn. >> I have a >> Oh, go ahead. >> I have a question. Uh I was looking at the percentage rates for the rent
increase and I was discussing it with the manager of Merry World. It seems that there's low income also involved in the interest and the percentage rates that increase and they have a different rate. Is that true? Um, off the top of my head, I'm not
sure. But what I can do is >> gave me a slip. Let's see. That's kind of strange to me that they would have a different rate and the rate is 5%. >> Huh? >> I think the rate is
>> Should we 355 or three? >> But this is for low income. >> Yes. You're saying there's a separate rate for low income. >> Yes. Okay. What did he say? >> I'm not sure on the top of my head, but what I can do is I'll do a little look I'll look into that a little bit and I'll send everybody. >> This is what he gave me. >> Uhhuh. >> Okay. This is He's in tier three and he
said they are [clears throat] eligible for 5% for low income. >> That would be a higher rate. We don't >> higher rate. >> That would be worse. >> I've never heard of it before. >> I wonder if they're talking >> Go ahead, Diane. I wonder if they're
talking about subsidized housing >> like section 8, >> right? >> Which section in there? >> No, this it it there this might be something that's set by the state, >> right? Which would supersede the >> Yeah, this it just might be something that's separate, but if you want, I can
definitely look into it and send you some resources if you want. >> I would appreciate it. >> Yeah, absolutely. I'll get on that. >> I'll give you this back. I think that's probably [cough and clears throat] >> while we're on questions, do we have an update on the report that we had submitted previously?
>> Um, I guess we can circle back with that. That was >> Yeah, last >> Jake. What's up? >> Um, I know we discussed it in [clears throat] finance and then
Then it was supposed to go to a work session. I have to look even if it I think I think we didn't go to a work session. >> Do you have the comments on that? >> I I don't have the comments. If did you
So when you discussed it in finance, did you send it back to Terry, I'm assuming, or >> um Yes, >> Terry. Okay. So that I can look I can look into whether or not she has it and we can maybe get it on a future work session if you want. >> Um yeah, I can definitely get the ball
rolling there. >> Okay. >> I I have I didn't see those comments myself, so >> um I'll figure out where that happened to get it on the next one. >> Okay. >> Thank you. Any other new business or discussion items? The chair will now
entertain a motion to adjourn. [clears throat] >> I look at Diane. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Can we get a second? Very good. >> Any objections? See none. Meeting is adjourned.