Essex Properties Urban Renewal Associates, Inc. v. City of Newark

20 N.J. Tax 360
CourtNew Jersey Tax Court
DecidedSeptember 4, 2002
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 20 N.J. Tax 360 (Essex Properties Urban Renewal Associates, Inc. v. City of Newark) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Jersey Tax Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Essex Properties Urban Renewal Associates, Inc. v. City of Newark, 20 N.J. Tax 360 (N.J. Super. Ct. 2002).

Opinion

KAHN, J.T.C.

This is the court’s determination regarding plaintiffs motion for summary judgment requesting property tax exemption pursuant to N.J.S.A. 54:4-3.6, and defendant’s cross-motion for summary judgment seeking to dismiss plaintiffs complaint. The sole issue before this court is whether plaintiffs activity qualifies as an actual and exclusive use for an exempt charitable purpose within the meaning of N.J.S.A. 54:4-3.6.

Plaintiff is incorporated as a non-profit organization in the State of New Jersey and owns the subject property located at 193-211 Hunterdon Street (Block 244, Lots 31-40). Plaintiff administers and operates a twenty-four-unit apartment facility for developmentally and/or physically disabled persons. Defendant imposed a property tax assessment of $278,700 on the subject property for the year 2000.1

[362]*362On September 10, 1999, plaintiff filed a petition with the Assessor of Newark, seeking a tax exemption for the subject property. In a letter dated January 4, 2000, the Newark Tax Assessor denied plaintiffs petition. The taxpayer took an appeal to the Essex County Board of Taxation from the above described assessment. By memorandum of judgment dated August 21, 2000, the Essex County Board of Taxation affirmed the assessment and dismissed plaintiffs appeal without prejudice. Plaintiff then filed a complaint in this court. Plaintiffs motion for summary judgment relies on the certification of Alexander Brussovansky, Director of Housing of Cerebral Palsy of North Jersey, and the memorandum of law filed in support thereof.

Pursuant to a letter dated July 10, 2002, both parties stipulated to the following facts.

1. ) On February 21, 1991, Cerebral Palsy of North Jersey, Ine. (“CPNJ”), a New Jersey non-profit corporation, caused plaintiff to be incorporated under Title 15A of the Laws of the State of New Jersey as a non-profit corporation for the purpose of providing “elderly persons, handicapped persons and persons of low and moderate income with housing facilities and services specially designed to meet their physical, social and psychological needs and to promote their health, security, happiness and usefulness in longer living, the charges for such facilities and services to be predicated upon the provision, maintenance and operation thereof on a non-profit basis.” 2
2. ) By Deed dated September 26, 1994, plaintiff acquired from the City of Newark the premises commonly known as 193-211 Hunterdon Street (Block 244, Lots 31-40), Newark, New Jersey and thereafter constructed a building containing 21,420 square feet of floor space on the lot consisting of approximately 24,055 square feet.
3. ) The building constructed was financed through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) and contains twenty-four apartments, which are leased to low-income persons having developmental and/or physical disabilities.
4. ) The project is managed by CPNJ.
5. ) Each of the twenty-four tenants is eligible for and receives rental subsidies from HUD through project-based federal Section 811 funds, and all but one receive Supplemental Security Income from Medicaid.
6. ) The rent for each of the residential units is $1,446 per month, 87% of which, on the average, is subsidized by federal funds.
7. ) The revenues received from the operation of the project are equal to the expenses incurred, with no profit being generated for either plaintiff or CPNJ.
[363]*3638. ) Most of the residents are wheelehair-bound or severely mobility-impaired who have recently become disabled through injury, accident or other sudden and unexpected cause.
9. ) The project also houses an on-site social worker whose first year’s salary was paid by a grant from Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey and subsequently by HUD.
10. ) The social worker, presently Jean Branch, does not charge the residents for services rendered, including the provision of ongoing counseling and support.
11. ) Almost all of the residents have on at least one occasion utilized the sendees of the on-site social worker, and more than 80% of them utilize her services on an ongoing basis.
12. ) The Initial Statement filed with the Tax Assessor of the City of Newark for tax exemption was denied by the City of Newark on January 4, 2001, without explanation.
13. ) The Essex County Board of Taxation affirmed the denial without prejudice.
14. ) Plaintiff has qualified with the Internal Revenue Service as a non-profit charitable organization, pursuant to I.R.C. Section 501(c)(3).

Plaintiffs financial statements3 for the years ended June 30, 2000 and 2001 report that plaintiff is operated under Section 811 of the National Housing Act and regulated by HUD with respect to rental charges and operating methods. Plaintiff is subject to a rental assistance contract with HUD whereby plaintiff receives a significant portion of its rental income from HUD. The financial statements identify the Section 811 Rental Assistance Payments as plaintiffs major program.

Summary judgment should be granted where “there is no genuine issue as to any material fact challenged and the non-moving party is entitled to judgment or order as a matter of law.” R. 4:46-2. When deciding a motion for summary judgment under R. 4:46-2, the court must consider “whether the competent evidential materials presented, when viewed in the light most favorable to the non-moving party in consideration of the applicable evidentiary standard, are sufficient to permit a rational fact finder to resolve the alleged disputed issue in favor of the non-moving party.” Brill v. Guardian Life Insurance Co. of America, 142 N.J. 520, 523, 666 A.2d 146 (1995). For the reasons hereinafter [364]*364stated, this court grants defendant’s motion for summary judgment, and denies plaintiffs motion for summary judgment. There is no dispute with respect to a material fact, and defendant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.

The statute under which the plaintiff seeks to qualify for a tax exemption provides that:

The following property shall be exempt from taxation under this chapter ... all buildings actually used in the work of associations and corporations organized exclusively for ... charitable puiposes ... all buildings owned by a corporation created under or otherwise subject to the provisions of ... Title 15A of the New Jersey Statutes and actually and exclusively used in the work of one or more associations or corporations organized exclusively for charitable or religious purposes ...

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Bluebook (online)
20 N.J. Tax 360, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/essex-properties-urban-renewal-associates-inc-v-city-of-newark-njtaxct-2002.