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SOUTH JERSEY
Cherry Hill Courier-Post
The long-discussed sale of Barrington Mews apartments has been apparently postponed until mid-March.
This announcement comes two months after residents of the housing complex for seniors and people with disabilities received notice that the facility was for sale by owner. It sent many tenants scrambling for new accommodations and left in limbo, with little communication from current or new ownership.
In a letter to residents Friday, Barrington Mayor Kyle Hanson addressed the sale as well as the "communication gaps" that have existed between the complex's owners, tenants and the municipality.
Hanson, Councilwoman Melanie Mercado-Miller and the facility's property management team, as well as Barrington Mews owner Barry Sharer, met Monday, Feb. 17. Hanson's letter said the group came to an agreement to "maintain consistent and open communication moving forward."
Tenants and local officials have said they had no idea that the property owner, who recently filed to extend a tax abatement agreement with the municipality, intended to sell the property.
Residents expressed confusions and frustration about the sale after they were notified via an undescriptive flyer in December.
Municipal officials have since been in communication with residents directly, sending updates and resources through the mail as well as hosting resource fairs and clinics.
In the letter to residents, Hanson said that he also reached out via email after the meeting, inviting the prospective buyer, Avraham Weinberg of Axial Partners, to be involved in the communication.
The response from the potential buyer, according to Hanson, read: "We truly appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with you on a communication to the tenants. We want to ensure the message is conveyed in a way that best supports them and helps ease the transition as much as possible."
Regarding tenant leases, the letter stated that a "legal contractual obligation related to the pending sale" has prevented tenants with expired leases from receiving new, year-long lease offers.
"Based on discussions with the potential buyer, we understand that they plan to gradually increase rents over the next few years in order to bring the units up to market rates," the letter read.
"However, the specific details of these increases have not yet been finalized, so we are unable to share those figures at this time."
It was also made clear that if for any reason the sale falls through, Sharer will pursue another buyer for the property.
Barrington officials, the letter affirmed, will be "more than happy" to organize additional resource fairs, legal clinics and support services. Further, members of the property management team are to be available to assist residents in finding additional housing options.
The letter was signed by Hanson, Mercado-Miller and the rest of borough council, plus Sharer and Weinberg.
"We are pleased to be working more collaboratively as a team moving forward, and we believe this partnership will best serve you, the residents, as a sale progresses," the letter read.
Kaitlyn McCormick writes about trending issues and community news across South Jersey for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and the Burlington County Times. If you have a story she should tell, email her at [email protected]. And subscribe to stay up to date on the news you need.