Written by Beryl Dayton, Managing Attorney at The Waterfront Project
Our clients are longtime tenants of a 16-unit building in Jersey City. They got behind on their rent right before the pandemic, when one of the clients was injured and needed to file a worker’s comp case. The landlord filed a DC case (not an LT) against them in 2021. The tenants signed a settlement agreement to pay back the balance in May 2022 (due to the pandemic, it took quite a while for the case to get to court). They paid back about half the balance and took on work as supers in the building, and in March 2024, the landlord told them that they would no longer need to worry about paying back the balance of the settlement (about half of which remained). There was no further attempt to collect any of that balance until March 2026, when the landlord filed a new LT case for nonpayment of that previous balance, most of which was covered period rent and couldn’t give cause for an eviction.ย
We were able to get our clients a settlement worth over $50,000! The landlord claimed that $25,000 was owed from the previous balance, which they agreed to waive as part of a vacate agreement. They also agreed to let our clients remain in the unit rent-free until 8/31/26. Finally, they agreed to pay $22,500 to buy them out of the lease! Factoring in the amount forgiven, the 4 months of rent that they won’t have to pay, and the $22,500, this settlement was worth $51,999.88!ย
Why This Matters
For many families, a court notice or old debt claim can feel impossible to fight alone. Without legal representation, our clients could have faced eviction over charges that should not have been used to remove them from their home in the first place.
This case highlights how critical legal advocacy is in protecting tenants from losing their housing unfairly. It also demonstrates the life-changing financial impact of The Waterfront Project’s work. Through advocacy and negotiation, we were able to eliminate tens of thousands of dollars in alleged debt, secure additional time for our clients to stabilize, and provide financial relief that gives them an opportunity to move forward safely and with dignity.
Every dollar donated helps make outcomes like this possible. Your support allows The Waterfront Project to stand beside tenants facing housing instability, defend their rights in court, and help families avoid devastating financial and housing crises.
