Hear From Our Residents

Judge Says Town of Westfield Violated Court Order

WESTFIELD, NJ — A Superior Court judge on Friday took the Town of Westfield to task for seeking a new operator to run Westfield Senior Housing in violation of the court’s order.

Despite a Dec. 8 court order prohibiting the town from holding Westfield Senior Housing in default of its lease, the town on Dec. 15 issued a request for proposals that seeks a new operator and states that the facility is in default, Judge Daniel R. Lindemann said at the hearing held by Zoom.

“It says the town council intends to select a manager by 2022,” Lindemann said, citing the RFP. “How is it that that’s not a violation of the restraining order?”

Join the fight for fair housing

The Town of Westfield is refusing to renew the lease for over 300 affordable apartments for senior citizens. Westfield Senior Citizens Housing, a national model for affordable housing for seniors, built the 300+ units and has held a 50-year lease on the land since 1976. Despite the non-profit’s exemplary record and management of both buildings, Mayor Shelley Brindle and members of the town council are demanding access to millions of dollars of restricted state and federal funds that are for the well-being of the residents and their homes and will not renew the lease until the non-profit agrees to pay. In fact, the Town has now issued the non-profit a Notice of Default stating they will take over the buildings if the money they demand is not paid within 60 days.