Dear Editor:
On Sunday, January 14, the Reporter ran a full page advertisement signed by residents of Columbian Towers and Columbian Arms.
The letter says that Helen Hirsch “is jeopardizing the Applied tenants for her own political agenda.” Ms. Hirsch is not a landlord and therefore has no tenants to “jeopardize.” She is not the governmental agency who passes judgment on who qualifies for subsidized housing. Ms. Hirsch is not running for office. She has no political agenda.
People who qualify for affordable housing are supposed to be protected from losing their housing as a result of their landlords’ financial deals with city, state and federal entities. Applied Housing made a deal with the state for nine of its properties. This deal could jeopardize the affordable housing stock in these properties. At this time, Columbian Arms and Columbian Towers’ landlord has not made any such arrangement with the state. If their landlord should make a deal similar to Applied’s did with the state, those buildings also could be in jeopardy as affordable housing stock.
Read on if you can bear to hear the truth.
Ms. Hirsch participated in a suit against Applied Housing because she was concerned that the residents of Applied Housing would not receive fair treatment from their landlord. That’s right. Ms. Hirsch is on your side and always has been.
Why should Ms. Hirsch care about you, or whether you’re treated fairly?
She has not built affordable housing. She does not operate affordable housing. She does not live in Applied Housing, nor in any subsidized housing at all. She does not have a city job, nor does she have any relatives who have city jobs. She is not related to anyone in city government. Nor is she a member of the Knights of Columbus. Ms. Hirsch believes that you have the right to continue to live in affordable housing and not to worry about whether you’re going to lose your apartment because someone who can pay four times your rent is ready and waiting to grab it. The lawsuit itself was brought to call attention to Applied Housing’s “deal.”
So Helen Hirsch, together with Annette Illing, and six non-profit tenant and housing advocacy groups (including the New Jersey Tenants’ Organization), brought a lawsuit against Applied Housing — to try to protect you.
In return, you unleashed a full page of venumous hatred against an eighty year old civic-minded woman. You called her names. You ridiculed her right to ask questions — the same right you have, if ever you cared enough to do it. Your municipal government is paid by the taxpayers of this city to find the answers.
You should hang your heads in shame. How dare you mention the Catholic Church in the same letter dripping with unwarranted poison against your fellow human, and one who was motivated by your welfare! Think about it.
Shelley Miller
Hoboken taxpayer