New elevators for Hoboken senior building are officially operational

HOBOKEN — Mayor Dawn Zimmer joined Hoboken Housing Authority Executive Director Marc Recko and other officials last week to cut the ribbon on the new elevators at the Fox Hill Gardens, a building for seniors and disabled residents.
The city allocated $386,250 in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds towards modernizing the two elevators in the building.
Also in attendance at the ceremony were Assemblywoman Annette Chaparro, 5th Ward Councilman Peter Cunningham, 2nd Ward Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher, Hoboken Housing Authority Commissioner Hovie Forman, Hoboken’s Principal Planner Chris Brown, and residents of Fox Hill.
According to a media release from the city, “The original 1950s-era elevators in Fox Hill were regularly out of order and required expensive repairs. Cuts in federal funding made it difficult for the Hoboken Housing Authority to perform the necessary maintenance.”
CDBG funds are allocated to community groups and organizations benefiting low to moderate income populations. Hoboken’s CDBG funding more than doubled in recent years to over $1 million (an increase of more than $500,000) as a result of the city’s population exceeding 50,000 in the latest census and the city choosing to self-administer CDBG funds, which were previously administered by Hudson County.
As a result of the increase in funding, the city has been able to fund significant capital projects including the elevators at Fox Hill.
Previously, the city allocated $330,000 in CDBG funds for improvements to the Hoboken shelter.
“I thank our Planner Chris Brown who managed this project and Housing Authority Executive Director Marc Recko for working with us to help ensure that our seniors have a safe and reliable way to get to their apartments,” said Zimmer. “We worked hard to more than double the CDBG funds we receive to support our low and moderate income population, and I am thankful that Congress has rejected plans to slash this much-needed program.”