[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 81 (Wednesday, June 9, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1182]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     COMMEMORATING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW JERSEY TENANTS 
                              ORGANIZATION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. STEVEN R. ROTHMAN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 9, 1999

  Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 30th 
Anniversary of the New Jersey Tenants Organization (NJTO).
  The NJTO was founded 30 years ago during an extreme housing shortage. 
Tenants in New Jersey faced unconscionable rent increases and had 
little protection from landlord abuse. Landlord-tenant laws at that 
time were very primitive and gave practically no protection to tenants. 
In fact, the only right afforded to tenants was the right of pay.
  This situation compelled a group of concerned citizens to come 
together to form the NJTO to combat these conditions. Using strategies 
ranging from rent strikes to legal battles, the NJTO succeeded in 
getting the State of New Jersey to enact the State Retaliatory Eviction 
Law in its first year of existence. This crucial triumph was 
responsible for paving the way for a massive wave of state-wide tenant 
mobilization.
  Over the past 30 years, the NJTO has grown into the oldest statewide 
tenants organization in the United States and can boast of being the 
driving force behind 18 major landlord-tenant laws. During this time, 
the NJTO's advocacy on behalf of New Jerseyans has resulted in the 
strongest legal protections for tenants throughout the entire country.
  This year, the NJTO is counting among its honorees Arlene Glassman, a 
neighbor of mine from Fair Lawn, New Jersey and Bob Ryley of Jackson 
Township, New Jersey. Arlene has been a committed member of the NJTO 
for the past 20 years and has served on the Board of Directors since 
1995. In Fair Lawn, she made a name for herself by successfully leading 
the effort to reduce the allowable rent and revise the rent ordinance. 
Thanks to her leadership, Fair Lawn's leaders and elected officials 
have a greater appreciation of the needs of the tenants in the town.
  Bob Ryley will also be recognized for his work with the Mobil Home 
Owners Association of New Jersey (MHOA). Since joining the group in 
1984, Bob obtained mobile home tenants the right of first refusal 
should the landlord decide to sell their park. In this era of political 
apathy, Bob has succeeded in his efforts to keep the MHOA's members 
actively involved on issues of concern to them.
  Both Arlene and Bob will receive the NJTO's Ronald B. Atlas Award on 
June 27 for their years of service on behalf of New Jersey tenants. 
This prestigious award is the NJTO's way of articulating the 
organization's gratitude for all of the time and energy that Arlene and 
Bob have given to the group and I am proud to extend my congratulations 
to them today on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.

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