The lawsuit alleged that Zimmer’s plans for public housing ultimately sought to change Hoboken Housing Authority by replacing “the old guard”—long-term residents mostly made up of “Italians, African-Americans and Hispanics” — with a “new guard” of “upwardly mobile, white residents,” the Jersey Journal reported.
A state Assemblyman elect has roughly a month to revive a lawsuit that accused Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer of trying to force minorities out of the city in favor of white, affluent residents.
Hoboken Housing Authority Executive Director and state Assemblyman elect Carmelo Garcia filed the suit in August, accusing Zimmer and others of pushing an “ethnic cleansing initiative.” A state Superior Court judge dismissed the lawsuit late last month, but said that Garcia could revise and re-file the complaint by Feb. 14, according to the decision.
Garcia’s attorney, Louis Zayas, said his client plans to re-file the lawsuit in the next few weeks.
“We believe this issue will be cured in the next couple of weeks,” he said. “We believe very strongly that the complaint has merit.”
Garcia directed requests for comment to his attorney but said that he is confident in the case.
“My position remains that I’m looking forward to my day in court, to have my story side of the story heard,” Garcia said.
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