Roselle Mayor Donald Shaw and his wife, former Councilwoman Kimberly Sharrock-Shaw, are going back to court after the landlords failed to appear for a July 1, 2022, hearing in the eviction case against a disabled tenant who has occupied his apartment for 24 years.
While Fernando Casamor has lived there, his rent increased from $750 to $900 a month but he was sent a letter signed by Kim Shaw informing him that his rent would double to $1800, which he believes is illegal under Elizabeth’s rent control ordinance.
He also claims that he was subjected to illegal abuse that worked to get tenants to vacate two other apartments in the four-family building.
To observe the hearing, on August 3, 2022 at 3 p.m., go to http://www.zoom.us and enter ‘161 947 9173‘ as the Meeting ID then click “Join.” Enter your name and then enter ‘799706‘ as the Meeting password.
“They banged on the walls, they have a dog barking at all hours and they play games with the water,” said Casamor. “When they bought this, the Covid restrictions were in place but they forced two other tenant families out and they tried all kinds of things with me that were illegal.”
“They know when I get into the shower, because every time I get into the shower, they start flushing the toilet over and over,” said Casamor, who said he defeated the tactic by washing himself at 4 a.m.
Casamor should be entitled to a presumption that this action is retaliatory in nature because the landlord failed in a previous attempt at eviction, but the man has no lawyer.
The Shaws are represented in the case by Elizabeth Councilman Manny Grova, who as the attorney for the landlords, is working to make one of his own constituents homeless.