Affordable Housing, Debate Drama, and Farm Feud Define Warren’s GOP Primary

photo credit: McCarey for Warren Township and Warren Township

Last month, we reported that a Warren Township official quietly disabled comments on the Township’s Facebook page—without a public vote or any explanation citing a policy violation. In our experience, when a government starts closing down public feedback without warning, it usually means they’re struggling to control the narrative.

That may be exactly what’s happening in Warren as residents head into a hotly contested June primary between Incumbent Lisa Lontai and Republican challenger, Dan McCarey.

Affordable Housing Flashpoint

The spark that seems to have triggered the comment shutdown was a Township post announcing that Warren had formally appealed the state’s assigned affordable housing obligation. But it didn’t take long for the backlash to begin.

Residents argued that the Township had already joined the broader litigation last year—alongside Montvale. Their concern wasn’t just about the timeline, but what they saw as a calculated attempt to make something old look new in order to boost Mayor Lontai’s election-season resume.  NJ21st could not find any documentation that indicated a decision to join the suit in March or April.  There were two resolutions between the two meetings, but none explicitly referenced a lawsuit in the Agendas.

This occurs within the context of a larger and more important debate: the Township Committee’s decision to reject a proposed affordable housing settlement that would have set Warren’s obligation at 225 units—already below the 262-unit figure assigned by the state. Instead, the township opted to appeal that obligation, arguing its actual fair share is 181 units. Mayor Lisa Lontai was one of three committee members who voted against the 225-unit deal. Critics worry that continuing the legal fight will waste tax dollars on litigation the township is unlikely to win.

The Debate About the Debate

Beneath that same post, residents began asking Lontai’s supporters about holding a debate. McCarey joined the thread himself, asking the campaign to confirm whether they’d be willing to participate. Supporters of the mayor claimed they hadn’t received a formal request. McCarey—and at least one other resident—said they had already emailed the campaign. As of now, no debate has been announced.

The Dealaman Farm Dispute

One Warren resident shared a campaign flyer from Lontai’s team that claimed one of the largest landowners in town had made a deal with a national builder to destroy and pave over Dealaman Farm—making way for nearly 700 new homes. The flyer also implied that the landowner had donated to McCarey in hopes of pressuring the mayor. It ended with a firm line: “Mayor Lontai is firmly against this development.”

The problem?

At least one member of the Dealaman family denies this and responded publicly, saying the Lontai campaign had crossed a line.

“To all my friends who are following this election — it has gotten nasty,” she wrote. “The Lontai campaign has decided to spread lies and rumors about the future of Dealaman Farm. I’ve been hurt, as has my family, by all the lies. It’s personal.”

She clarified that while a few outlying parcels had been sold or considered, the farm itself “as you all know it is not for sale.” Her statement left little doubt about how her family feels about being used as a political talking point.

The Email Hack—Or Something

In a separate campaign post, Lontai warned of recent attempts to hack her government email and claimed someone had been impersonating her by sending fake messages to residents. The post went even further, stating that she had filed a formal criminal fraud complaint with the Warren Township Police Department.

At the May 15 Township Committee meeting, officials confirmed there had been a phishing attempt in April. As for the impersonation and alleged criminal complaint, the Police Chief said there had been one report but offered no further details.

When a resident filed an OPRA request on May 15 asking for a copy of that complaint, the Township Clerk responded that there were no responsive records.

One Last Thing…

If you haven’t watched that meeting yet, we’d suggest skipping ahead to the public comment section—starting around the 1 hour, 35-minute mark.

You’ll see for yourself: things in Warren aren’t just heating up. They’re boiling over.

All claims referenced in this report were made in public comments, campaign materials, or official government responses, including OPRA filings and public meeting footage. Mr. McCarey and Ms. Lontai have been contacted by NJ21st prior to the publication of this article for Comment – any responses received will be published.

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