In order to better service the needs of Dumont’s tenant population, the Borough of Dumont, under the direction of Mayor Matt McHale and Borough Council President Ellen Zamechansky, have created a 24 hour tenant hotline.

“As Dumont’s top elected official, I carry the responsibility of representing homeowner, tenant, and landlord alike,” said Mayor Matt McHale. “However, in recent months we have seen a frustration within the tenant community when it came to having important quality of life issues such as property maintenance, heating, and health issues addressed."

McHale added, “this hotline is intended to provide relief to the tenants’ frustration and a mechanism for tenants to notify the Borough potential code violations.”

The contact number, 201-244-3990 is accessible by direct dialing and is also available through the Borough’s main number directory, 201-387-5022 and the Borough website, www.dumontborough.org.

“Tenants should first try to resolve the issue directly with their landlords if they can, but we recognize that in some circumstances it is not possible which is why I advocated for the creation of this service,” said Council President Ellen Zamechansky.

John Perkins, Dumont’s Borough Administrator added, “the Hotline will be monitored through the Building Department where complaints will be logged and routed to the proper authority for review.” When calling, the resident will be asked to identify the complaint as well as their name and contact information so we can report our findings back to them. If the matter is an emergency, they will be encouraged to call 911.

Approximately 25% of Dumont’s residents are tenants and are concentrated in several large garden style complexes such as the Merritt Gardens and Dumont Terrace Apartments.
In recent months, the Mayor and Council have been working to re-establish Dumont’s Rent Leveling Board but have been unable to do so due to lack of volunteers.

Mayor McHale encouraged “any resident – tenant, homeowner, or landlord –, who is willing to serve, will most certainly receive consideration.” McHale added, “I think the Board and the hotline are very important components to improving tenant representation in Dumont, but it is also important for our tenant community, of which I am a part of, to reactivate its Tenant Association. Only working cooperatively can we improve communication and improve our quality of life.”