Ever since Gov. Phil Murphy said on the campaign trail last year that he wanted to legalize recreational marijuana and expand medical marijuana access, Hoboken officials and residents have wondered whether the Garden State will follow states like Colorado and Oregon and allow recreational marijuana sale and use within city limits. Since the substance is not legal in New York, and neighboring towns such as Weehawken have recently moved to ban its sale and use in commercial establishments, Hoboken’s neighbors may take a train or bus ride to the mile-square city to indulge. And that has some people talking about what sort of boundaries, if any, City Hall needs to set.
The state already permits medical marijuana usage for those who have a prescription, under tight restrictions. The management of a medical marijuana dispensary in nearby Secaucus expects it to open this spring, the first such facility in the area.
If marijuana growing, sale, and use are legalized in New Jersey, local officials would have to look at how their current laws (such as those restricting smoking in parks and near schools) would have to be changed to regulate the use and sale.
According to a poll released by Monmouth University on Thursday, six in 10 New Jersey residents support legalizing marijuana use, with support 11 points higher than it was four years ago.
Most say that such a policy will help the state’s economy, and few think it will lead to an increase in drug crime.
The governing bodies in Weehawken, Union City, and Jersey City have already proposed regulations to deal with aspects of marijuana sale in their towns.
Hoboken’s officials have not made similar moves yet, although Councilwoman Tiffaine Fisher asked on Twitter in March what residents thought about the potential for New Yorkers to come to the city to smoke. Of the 20 respondents, some said it should be allowed in town, but only with special zoning, while others want it kept out of the city and were worried about an influx of New Yorkers.
Mayor Ravi Bhalla said last week that the city is monitoring what is happening at the state level. So far several bills have been introduced regarding the legalization of recreational marijuana sale and possession. Currently the state legislature is holding public hearings across the state to gather opinions on legalization. The first hearing was conducted at Middlesex County College last weekend and the next hearing is scheduled for April 21 at Rowan University.

Mayor’s thoughts

Bhalla said last week that he believes legalization “would be a big step forward for racial justice.”
“As a civil rights attorney, I view this from the lens of criminal justice reform,” said Bhalla. “Black and Hispanic residents are disproportionately targeted at a high rate for minor infractions compared to the rest of the population. Legalization would be a big step forward for racial justice. Disproportionate arrests of minorities in Hoboken for minor personal marijuana usage is both discriminatory and a major waste of police resources that would be better spent on real crimes.”
But will the sale, use, and growing be regulated in Hoboken?
Bhalla said he believes that if marijuana is legalized, the state should consider limiting the sale to an online mail order system, available only for state residents.
“This will allay concerns – legitimate or not — of brick and mortar retail dispensaries causing quality-of-life challenges,” said Bhalla. “This incremental approach has been taken successfully by other jurisdictions around the country.”
Quality of life concerns expressed by those interviewed, both residents and officials, included smoke in the streets, kids seeing it, and dealing with more visitors from New York.
Council President Ruben Ramos said the council has begun to discuss and research possible future actions they could implement in Hoboken, such as updating the city’s zoning to specify where and how recreational marijuana could be sold, if the council wants to allow the sale at all.
He said the updates could be included in the city’s master plan reexamination as well, a blueprint for the future of the city.

Quality-of-life concerns

Residents had mixed views on the matter last week.
Emily, a resident of six years who was strolling on Washington Street last week, said, “I don’t want to be walking on my way to go get groceries and have someone exhale the smoke in my face when I walk down the sidewalk.”
However, the state has laws pertaining to where substances can be smoked including: not within public parks, outside cafes, and not within 20 feet of any municipal building.
The New Jersey Smoke-Free Air Act defines smoking as the “means of burning of, inhaling from, exhaling the smoke from, or the possession of a lighted cigar, cigarette, pipe or any other matter or substance which contains tobacco or any other matter that can be smoked.”
City spokesman Santiago Melli-Huber says such laws will also pertain to smoking marijuana if it is legalized.
“Although it doesn’t specifically mention marijuana, the city’s law department believes this includes marijuana as the act includes ‘any other matter that can be smoked,’” said Melli-Huber who noted that it also applies to electronic cigarettes.
Julio Medina who works at a local smoke shop on Washington Street, said that although he supports the sale and use of medical marijuana, he has concerns with recreational marijuana’s impact on daily life.
“I don’t think it should be permitted, because I don’t think it allows people to be very productive, but that’s just me personally,” said Medina.
He did not want to speak on its possible effect on the business.
Ramos said he has heard from some parents who are concerned that marijuana might be displayed in storefront windows.
He said the city could implement zoning changes including restrictions on where marijuana is placed in a store.
Fisher said she has heard from residents who were worried about an influx of New Yorkers.
Bhalla said this is not a major concern. “We welcome all visitors to Hoboken who want to respectfully experience our city, and there is no evidence to suggest that marijuana causes violent or destructive behavior in the way that alcohol can,” said Bhalla. “If New York City residents do come here to buy and use marijuana, my expectation is this will benefit the many wonderful restaurants in Hoboken.”
Ramos said he believes that it could be an economic benefit to some local establishments, but the city may not benefit directly from recreational marijuana sale. He believes there should be a tax.
“As of right now the [state’s] bill doesn’t include any type of tax that could go to a municipality,” said Ramos. “I’d like to see an incentive like the hotel tax for hotels where a portion goes to the municipality.”

Surrounded by action

There might also be an influx from neighboring towns, whose governing bodies have banned the sale of the substance in their limits.
To Hoboken’s west, the Union City Board of Commissioners voted on Feb. 13 to prohibit the operation of facilities that cultivate, manufacture, test, or sell marijuana within the city limits.
The ordinance states that this decision was made in order to preserve public health, safety, and welfare of the city and its residents.
“The city has determined that businesses that sell and distribute medicinal and recreational marijuana require special concern for security,” states the ordinance.
To the north, Weehawken has amended its zoning to ban the commercial sale, growth, distribution, and use of marijuana in retail/commercial establishments.
To the south, the Jersey City council voted on April 11 to delay adoption of an ordinance to ban growing and selling recreational marijuana in the city. They want to give the public more opportunity to speak out about the issue.
Ramos said the council is focusing on other matters right now, but will look at marijuana eventually. “We are working on infrastructure upgrades like paving Washington Street, the municipal budget, park designs, and Union Dry Dock,” said Ramos. “We have a lot of things going on and this isn’t at the top of the list. The state hasn’t legalized it yet and it will definitely be awhile before there is a vote on the bill.”

Marilyn Baer can be reached at marilynb@hudsonreporter.com.

The afternoon of Monday, Jan. 1 will bring the swearing in of new Mayor Ravi Bhalla, followed by a City Council reorganization meeting on Jan. 3. Political observers have been wondering who will be the next council president, and whether Bhalla will have to contend with a divided council during his first year, since some of the nine members were his opponents in last month’s election.
In the past, Mayor Dawn Zimmer was often able to push her agenda through, since most of the council members were her supporters. After a heated election during which three council members ran against each other for mayor on Nov. 7, some residents think Bhalla may have a tougher time.
Bhalla ran against current Council President Jen Giattino, who was backed by Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher and Councilman Peter Cunningham. Giattino has declined to join Bhalla’s transition team, and Fisher and Cunningham have expressed dismay, in separate letters after the election, about the “ugliness” during the campaigns.
The other former mayoral candidates have joined Bhalla on his transition team – business owner Karen Nason, activist Ronald Bautista, Freeholder Anthony Romano, and Councilman Michael DeFusco. But DeFusco has already criticized some of Bhalla’s moves, and issued a press release criticizing Bhalla’s choosing of lawyer John Allen as his chief of staff. Allen ran as a councilman on Bhalla’s ticket, but lost.
“The council dynamic isn’t very good for the mayor-elect,” said former Councilman Tony Soares, who supported DeFusco in the election. “He is going to have to work with them to cooperate on their agenda over the next two to four years. He wasn’t given a majority.”
Bhalla won 32.7 percent of the votes on Nov. 7, with 41.2 percent of registered voters turning out for the mayoral election.
Soares said he thinks the council will have to try to cooperate, and not work against the new mayor, in order to move Hoboken forward.
“I think Ruben [Ramos] and Michael DeFusco work well [with each other] and Jen [Giattino] and Fisher are together,” he said. “Bhalla has allies on the council with [Councilman Jim] Doyle and [Councilwoman-Elect] Emily Jabbour [who will be sworn in on Jan. 3]. But honestly, now the council is divided and they will all have to try and work together.”
One political insider who wished to remain anonymous said he believed either Councilman Ruben Ramos or Councilman Peter Cunningham will be the next council president, depending on who holds a majority on the council. Rumors have swirled that Councilman Ramos may want the position, but some say Cunningham can draw Fisher, Giattino, and others.

Councilmembers weigh in

In separate interviews, Councilmen Ruben Ramos, Jim Doyle, Michael Russo, and Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher commented on the council dynamic in the new year.
DeFusco, Cunningham, and Giattino did not answer two phone calls for comment by press time.
“Everyone tries to do what’s best for Hoboken at the end of the day,” said Fisher, speaking about the council dynamic come January. “People on the council work well together. In the past we have had 7-2 or 9-0 on most votes, and my guess is that will continue.”
When it came to who might be president Fisher said that it’s a bit early to tell.
“It’s definitely a topic on people’s minds right now,” said Fisher. “But my understanding is it is a bit early.”
Doyle said, “Typically there is a majority and a minority. It is not typically divided into three poles.”
However, he noted, reformers on the council might be fractured after the election.
“While I see disagreements going forward as to approaches, as long as everyone genuinely has Hoboken’s best interests as the overall objective, I am confident we will all work together and be fine,” said Doyle. “I know we are genuinely people who put Hoboken above personal aspirations.”
Councilman Michael Russo said no discussions have started amongst himself and other council members as to who might fill the position of council president during the Jan. 3 reorganization meeting
“There is no real faction in the city that has a majority of the council,” said Russo. “I think Mayor-Elect Bhalla will have to work with individual council members to move the city forward. “
“It’s an interesting time,” said Russo. “I think the truest leaders will emerge among the members of the council by being able to put differences aside and work for the betterment of the city…Right now people are a little upset about the heated election on all sides, but I think eventually when we get down to brass tacks, we will see who gets it done.”
He said he would like to see a president who is fair, rational, and understands that there will be difficult decisions. He added that he would like a president “who won’t bow to political pressure.”
Who fits the bill? He believes all of his council colleagues share those qualities. “I think one more than others, but until I find out if that person it interested, I won’t comment,” he said.
Russo said he believes Bhalla will have some difficulty, “but every mayor does, even when they have a base of support in the majority.”
He said, “Dawn got a lot of things passed, but there were a lot of backroom conversations or off-record conversations with council members [about agenda items] that were just as difficult, whether those people supported her or not.”
Ramos said, “We need to look at every agenda item as 0-0 and work on building a consensus if it’s a good idea. We need to move away from the idea of a council majority or minority.”
“If Mayor-Elect Bhalla has a good idea that I agree with, I’ll try and make it happen. If Councilwoman Fisher has a good idea or I have a good idea, I’ll try and make it happen,” said Ramos. “I work with everyone on issues and that’s what the public expects from us. None of this is personal. There was a lot of negativity during the campaign from different directions, but I don’t anticipate anyone putting hurt feelings or anything else before moving a good idea for Hoboken forward.”
He said he wants the next council president to be an individual who brings people together, who hears ideas, and acts as a conduit between the mayor and the council.
When asked if he wants to be the next council president, he said, “I never count my chickens before they hatch.”
One future agenda item that may prove divisive is the city’s negotiations and proposed agreement with Suez over managing the city’s water and aging infrastructure. The agreement proposed by Zimmer’s administration and backed by Bhalla, caused a lot of debate during the mayoral election, as some council members wanted to try and pursue other providers and questioned an unpaid debt.

Will work with everyone

Bhalla said he will work with everyone on the council for the betterment of Hoboken.
When asked who he thought might be the next council president, he said, “Your guess is as good as mine at this point. “
He said he believes a council president needs to “be diligent with respect to his or her duties and cooperative with the administration to identify opportunities for legislation to move Hoboken forward.”
He said he envisions the role of the council president with not only “running a tight ship” but working with the business administrator, council colleagues, the mayor, and department directors to “identify legislation that’s ripe or ready to be brought before the council as a whole.”
When asked if he believes if the council is divided more than before, he said, “I know the council members are first and foremost committed to advancing the interests of the city of Hoboken. As far as majorities on the council, it’s my hope we can move past divisiveness to see where we can work together on a governmental level. I know each councilmember has their own issues that are important to them so I would like to identify what those priorities are and be helpful in advancing their priorities. I don’t see it as having a majority or control of the council. My concern is about understanding priorities and having a constructive working relationship with the council.”
He said that if a time comes in which one of his priorities is not supported by an individual on the council or a majority, “Then it’s incumbent on me to generate support on the council for that priority to be successful.”
Bhalla said that he thinks that he and the council are united in that they all share a common love for Hoboken.
“In regard to repairing relationships or getting over raw feelings, I think its important to realize it’s in the best interest of the community at large for us to turn the page and look toward the future,” said Bhalla.
Bhalla’s swearing in ceremony will be held on Jan. 1 at 2 p.m. The location has yet to be announced. The council reorganization meeting will take place Jan. 3 at City Hall at 7 p.m., according to Deputy City Clerk Jerry Lore.
Officials would not confirm which high-level politicians may be attending the swearing ins, although rumors have swirled about Gov. Elect Phil Murphy attending the Jan. 1 event. Murphy is set to be sworn in on Jan. 16.

Marilyn Baer can be reached at marilynb@hudsonreporter.com.

The afternoon of Monday, Jan. 1 will bring the swearing in of new Mayor Ravi Bhalla, followed by a City Council reorganization meeting on Jan. 3. Political observers have been wondering who will be the next council president, and whether Bhalla will have to contend with a divided council during his first year, since some of the nine members were his opponents in last month’s election.
In the past, Mayor Dawn Zimmer was often able to push her agenda through, since most of the council members were her supporters. After a heated election during which three council members ran against each other for mayor on Nov. 7, some residents think Bhalla may have a tougher time.
Bhalla ran against current Council President Jen Giattino, who was backed by Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher and Councilman Peter Cunningham. Giattino has declined to join Bhalla’s transition team, and Fisher and Cunningham have expressed dismay, in separate letters after the election, about the “ugliness” during the campaigns.
The other former mayoral candidates have joined Bhalla on his transition team – business owner Karen Nason, activist Ronald Bautista, Freeholder Anthony Romano, and Councilman Michael DeFusco. But DeFusco has already criticized some of Bhalla’s moves, and issued a press release criticizing Bhalla’s choosing of lawyer John Allen as his chief of staff. Allen ran as a councilman on Bhalla’s ticket, but lost.
“The council dynamic isn’t very good for the mayor-elect,” said former Councilman Tony Soares, who supported DeFusco in the election. “He is going to have to work with them to cooperate on their agenda over the next two to four years. He wasn’t given a majority.”
Bhalla won 32.7 percent of the votes on Nov. 7, with 41.2 percent of registered voters turning out for the mayoral election.
Soares said he thinks the council will have to try to cooperate, and not work against the new mayor, in order to move Hoboken forward.
“I think Ruben [Ramos] and Michael DeFusco work well [with each other] and Jen [Giattino] and Fisher are together,” he said. “Bhalla has allies on the council with [Councilman Jim] Doyle and [Councilwoman-Elect] Emily Jabbour [who will be sworn in on Jan. 3]. But honestly, now the council is divided and they will all have to try and work together.”
One political insider who wished to remain anonymous said he believed either Councilman Ruben Ramos or Councilman Peter Cunningham will be the next council president, depending on who holds a majority on the council. Rumors have swirled that Councilman Ramos may want the position, but some say Cunningham can draw Fisher, Giattino, and others.

Councilmembers weigh in

In separate interviews, Councilmen Ruben Ramos, Jim Doyle, Michael Russo, and Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher commented on the council dynamic in the new year.
DeFusco, Cunningham, and Giattino did not answer two phone calls for comment by press time.
“Everyone tries to do what’s best for Hoboken at the end of the day,” said Fisher, speaking about the council dynamic come January. “People on the council work well together. In the past we have had 7-2 or 9-0 on most votes, and my guess is that will continue.”
When it came to who might be president Fisher said that it’s a bit early to tell.
“It’s definitely a topic on people’s minds right now,” said Fisher. “But my understanding is it is a bit early.”
Doyle said, “Typically there is a majority and a minority. It is not typically divided into three poles.”
However, he noted, reformers on the council might be fractured after the election.
“While I see disagreements going forward as to approaches, as long as everyone genuinely has Hoboken’s best interests as the overall objective, I am confident we will all work together and be fine,” said Doyle. “I know we are genuinely people who put Hoboken above personal aspirations.”
Councilman Michael Russo said no discussions have started amongst himself and other council members as to who might fill the position of council president during the Jan. 3 reorganization meeting
“There is no real faction in the city that has a majority of the council,” said Russo. “I think Mayor-Elect Bhalla will have to work with individual council members to move the city forward. “
“It’s an interesting time,” said Russo. “I think the truest leaders will emerge among the members of the council by being able to put differences aside and work for the betterment of the city…Right now people are a little upset about the heated election on all sides, but I think eventually when we get down to brass tacks, we will see who gets it done.”
He said he would like to see a president who is fair, rational, and understands that there will be difficult decisions. He added that he would like a president “who won’t bow to political pressure.”
Who fits the bill? He believes all of his council colleagues share those qualities. “I think one more than others, but until I find out if that person it interested, I won’t comment,” he said.
Russo said he believes Bhalla will have some difficulty, “but every mayor does, even when they have a base of support in the majority.”
He said, “Dawn got a lot of things passed, but there were a lot of backroom conversations or off-record conversations with council members [about agenda items] that were just as difficult, whether those people supported her or not.”
Ramos said, “We need to look at every agenda item as 0-0 and work on building a consensus if it’s a good idea. We need to move away from the idea of a council majority or minority.”
“If Mayor-Elect Bhalla has a good idea that I agree with, I’ll try and make it happen. If Councilwoman Fisher has a good idea or I have a good idea, I’ll try and make it happen,” said Ramos. “I work with everyone on issues and that’s what the public expects from us. None of this is personal. There was a lot of negativity during the campaign from different directions, but I don’t anticipate anyone putting hurt feelings or anything else before moving a good idea for Hoboken forward.”
He said he wants the next council president to be an individual who brings people together, who hears ideas, and acts as a conduit between the mayor and the council.
When asked if he wants to be the next council president, he said, “I never count my chickens before they hatch.”
One future agenda item that may prove divisive is the city’s negotiations and proposed agreement with Suez over managing the city’s water and aging infrastructure. The agreement proposed by Zimmer’s administration and backed by Bhalla, caused a lot of debate during the mayoral election, as some council members wanted to try and pursue other providers and questioned an unpaid debt.

Will work with everyone

Bhalla said he will work with everyone on the council for the betterment of Hoboken.
When asked who he thought might be the next council president, he said, “Your guess is as good as mine at this point. “
He said he believes a council president needs to “be diligent with respect to his or her duties and cooperative with the administration to identify opportunities for legislation to move Hoboken forward.”
He said he envisions the role of the council president with not only “running a tight ship” but working with the business administrator, council colleagues, the mayor, and department directors to “identify legislation that’s ripe or ready to be brought before the council as a whole.”
When asked if he believes if the council is divided more than before, he said, “I know the council members are first and foremost committed to advancing the interests of the city of Hoboken. As far as majorities on the council, it’s my hope we can move past divisiveness to see where we can work together on a governmental level. I know each councilmember has their own issues that are important to them so I would like to identify what those priorities are and be helpful in advancing their priorities. I don’t see it as having a majority or control of the council. My concern is about understanding priorities and having a constructive working relationship with the council.”
He said that if a time comes in which one of his priorities is not supported by an individual on the council or a majority, “Then it’s incumbent on me to generate support on the council for that priority to be successful.”
Bhalla said that he thinks that he and the council are united in that they all share a common love for Hoboken.
“In regard to repairing relationships or getting over raw feelings, I think its important to realize it’s in the best interest of the community at large for us to turn the page and look toward the future,” said Bhalla.
Bhalla’s swearing in ceremony will be held on Jan. 1 at 2 p.m. The location has yet to be announced. The council reorganization meeting will take place Jan. 3 at City Hall at 7 p.m., according to Deputy City Clerk Jerry Lore.
Officials would not confirm which high-level politicians may be attending the swearing ins, although rumors have swirled about Gov. Elect Phil Murphy attending the Jan. 1 event. Murphy is set to be sworn in on Jan. 16.

Marilyn Baer can be reached at marilynb@hudsonreporter.com.

At the Hoboken Board of Education’s monthly meeting on Tuesday, Union City resident Courtney Wicks, whose daughter attends eighth grade at Hoboken Middle School (as a choice or paying student), addressed the Hoboken Board of Education and Superintendent Dr. Christine Johnson.
She asked the board why they had not created a Diversity Inclusion Committee, something she said she had mentioned to the superintendent in January.
Other districts have pursued such a committee. It operates much like a task force of stakeholders that looks at district policies and procedures and comes up with a comprehensive plan to expand and develop programs that promote positive behavior, respect for all cultures, and diversity throughout the system.
“I just really wanted to touch base on the Diversity Inclusion Committee and really just get you to understand that there is a sense of urgency here,” she said. She said that students from minority groups seem to be dealt with differently than others in the district.
She said when her daughter was at Wallace elementary, she was “racially tracked,” but that has changed now that she is in the middle school. “She was a high-performance student but she was put in all the B classes,” said Wicks. “These are the kinds of things that we are neglecting to deal with in this district.”
She said the issue isn’t unique to Hoboken. She said that a complaint was filed recently against the South Orange Maplewood School District by the Department of Education office of Civil Rights.
Last month, the Hoboken board announced that the district is currently collecting data to ensure the district is prepared, both for an increase in student enrollment as well as to study diversity.
According to Board of Education President Thomas Kluepfel, the data and analysis won’t be presented to the public until next month (January), as data is still being collected.
“I know we are looking at socioeconomic data and having those discussions behind closed doors,” Wicks said. “I just think that’s a mistake, and if you really truly care about educating every child in this district, you have to open the process up. Even with the data, context matters. If the only people that are presenting on the data from their point of view are people that don’t look like me, don’t look like Pat Waiters [an African-American parent and local activist], and don’t look like the Latino kids in the district, then you are going to get a very myopic view,” said Wicks.
She said the Diversity Inclusion Committee will “bring people together to examine these issues as a group collectively, collaboratively, to dismantle a system that’s hurting our kids and create a culturally competent and inclusive district for everyone.”
Wicks said she also doesn’t believe that the students are being prepared adequately for college or careers after graduation.
“At the end of the day, if you really care about kids, you need to roll up your sleeves and you need to dig into this and you need to start caring,” she said, “because you are all they have. So if you don’t get it right then we are never going to get it right.”

Superintendent says kids are prepared

Johnson said that roughly 90 percent of the seniors at Hoboken High School had been accepted to college last year and that over $9 million in merit based scholarships were issued for the kids in the high school.
“We are on track to hit that mark if not exceed it,” said Johnson. “I think its important for the record to note that our kids are, in fact, interested in going to college. They are interested in careers outside what might be considered a traditional career path that doesn’t require a college education, and quite frankly, even those that are not in fact choosing to go to college are going through a college preparatory program that enables them to be prepared for the workforce, the 21st century workforce. “
Johnson also said there are no “tracks” at the high school, and that the Hoboken School District is one of the few districts that does not create obstacles or have entrance exams for students to get into Advance Placement or Project Lead the Way courses.
“They are open to all students that choose to participate,” said Johnson. “Our guidance staff does an incredible job encouraging and teaching kids about those classes.”
She noted, “Our performance on the Advanced Placement test– and we talk about this year after year–has to improve, and it’s continuing to improve as the teachers get [students] more and more used to participating in rigorous courses.”
Wicks responded to Johnson’s saying that if there are no tracks, “Then let’s have and outside consultant come in and do complete review of the district. Why don’t we do that?… have an outside consultant, have the ACLU come in. That would be great. They are experienced at doing this.
In a follow up interview, Johnson said that the district is committed to being an inclusive community and will be working on a plan with the district’s Staff Diversity Council, which was formed last year.
“Currently, the Board of Education has asked the administration to pull data together to look at our programs and schools’ demographic footprints,” said Johnson. “The administration is currently doing so. We are also going to collect qualitative data from staff, parents, and students, as we continuously want to improve and ensure high-quality and equitable programs for all. We are also focusing on global learning and global awareness, as we want to celebrate our district’s diversity. Our Board of Education and Staff Diversity Council will assess the data and revise any actions or policies that are necessary. The district will absolutely take input from all stakeholders, via small advisory groups that will be established once the process of data collection is complete. The culminating work will result in goal setting and creation and publication of data dashboards.”
Johnson said she believes goals will be set for the district by the summer.

Three board members say goodbye

Hoboken Board of Education member Britney Montgomery resigned two weeks ago in a letter to the board, according to Board President Thomas Kluepfel, who announced her resignation at the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday Dec. 12.
Montgomery was not in attendance, but fellow board member Peter Biancamano read a statement for her.
“To the community of Hoboken, I was recently asked to undertake a new role in with my employer that would require me to travel extensively throughout the year,” read Biancamano on Montgomery’s behalf. “I originally hoped to fulfill these new professional responsibilities while continuing to serve on the Hoboken school board, but over the past several weeks it has become clear that I would be unable to contribute to the board in the manner it requires, and more importantly the manner it deserves.”
“It has been a true honor to work on behalf of the families of Hoboken,” he read. “I am proud of all we have accomplished in the past two years. I have no doubt the board will continue these successes under the Leadership of the Trustees and Superintendent Johnson. I will always hold the district in the highest regard and be forever thankful for the opportunity to serve the children, parents, teachers and community of Hoboken.”
Montgomery was elected to the board in 2015.
The school board has 65 days to appoint a new member to fill Montgomery’s now vacant seat; otherwise the county superintendent will do so.
Hoboken residents interested in filling Montgomery’s position may apply to the board and are then interviewed during closed sessions.
It was also Peter Biancamano’s last meeting, as he was not reelected to his seat during the Nov. 7 municipal election.
It was also Trustee Mark McNamara’s last meeting as he did not seek reelection.
Biancamano said he decided to become a trustee because “I love my community, and helping to make our district schools become the best they can be fulfills my obligation to give back to my community — a value my parents instilled in me from an early age. As Winston Churchill once said, we make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give.”
Biancamano added, “The Hoboken Board of Education is filled with great teachers, administrators, and staff members — always a bragging point of mine while attending New Jersey School Board Association meeting. Their time, dedication, and commitment given should be commended. With hard work, determination, and perseverance, even a deli boy could have made so many impactful decisions benefiting our community.”
Biancamano’s family owns a popular Italian deli on upper Washington Street.
He said, “I feel as if my service to community is not over but needs a much needed break. When one door closes, another opens.”
McNamara was not in attendance.

District recognizes teachers and students

Assistant Superintendent Gerald Fitzhugh presented the district’s students of the month of November, awarding each a certificate.
First grader Thomas Hodge was student of the month at Brandt Primary School. Kindergarten student Skylar Dellafave was student of the month at Calabro School. At Connors, third grader Jayvion Henderson was awarded student of the month, and at Wallace, sixth grader Kendall McDonough won student of the month.
Eighth grader Leo Papaneouphytou was the Hoboken Middle School student of the month and Junior Brianna Cortes was the Hoboken High School student of the month.
The superintendent also recognized two teachers for their work in the district, Krystal Claudio and Chris Munoz.
Claudio has been in the district since September 2016 and is an ELA Response to Intervention Teacher based in Wallace Elementary School. She is also the coordinator of services for ELA and Math RTI services and English as a second language teacher. Johnson said she is a “master teacher,” who understands the needs of her students.
Claudio said “I am incredibly honored to be recognized by the administration and the board…I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for trusting me with the lives of the children in the district… my students make it easy for me to get up each day and give my all.”
Munoz has served the Hoboken public school district for the past 13 years and is the vice president of the teachers union. He teaches social studies as well as special education. He is the advisor to the Hoboken High School Hispanic Club. He’s also the facilitator to the Inspired Classroom program for students.
Johnson said his impact reaches ‘far beyond the classroom.”
Munoz thanked the board for the honor and recognition and “It’s easy to do things with the kids when you have a leader like Principal Piccapietra… she is always there to encourage me.”
“I wouldn’t be here without the colleges and students who support me every day,” he added.

Marilyn Baer can be reached at marilynb@hudsonreporter.com.

At the Hoboken Board of Education’s monthly meeting on Tuesday, Union City resident Courtney Wicks, whose daughter attends eighth grade at Hoboken Middle School (as a choice or paying student), addressed the Hoboken Board of Education and Superintendent Dr. Christine Johnson.
She asked the board why they had not created a Diversity Inclusion Committee, something she said she had mentioned to the superintendent in January.
Other districts have pursued such a committee. It operates much like a task force of stakeholders that looks at district policies and procedures and comes up with a comprehensive plan to expand and develop programs that promote positive behavior, respect for all cultures, and diversity throughout the system.
“I just really wanted to touch base on the Diversity Inclusion Committee and really just get you to understand that there is a sense of urgency here,” she said. She said that students from minority groups seem to be dealt with differently than others in the district.
She said when her daughter was at Wallace elementary, she was “racially tracked,” but that has changed now that she is in the middle school. “She was a high-performance student but she was put in all the B classes,” said Wicks. “These are the kinds of things that we are neglecting to deal with in this district.”
She said the issue isn’t unique to Hoboken. She said that a complaint was filed recently against the South Orange Maplewood School District by the Department of Education office of Civil Rights.
Last month, the Hoboken board announced that the district is currently collecting data to ensure the district is prepared, both for an increase in student enrollment as well as to study diversity.
According to Board of Education President Thomas Kluepfel, the data and analysis won’t be presented to the public until next month (January), as data is still being collected.
“I know we are looking at socioeconomic data and having those discussions behind closed doors,” Wicks said. “I just think that’s a mistake, and if you really truly care about educating every child in this district, you have to open the process up. Even with the data, context matters. If the only people that are presenting on the data from their point of view are people that don’t look like me, don’t look like Pat Waiters [an African-American parent and local activist], and don’t look like the Latino kids in the district, then you are going to get a very myopic view,” said Wicks.
She said the Diversity Inclusion Committee will “bring people together to examine these issues as a group collectively, collaboratively, to dismantle a system that’s hurting our kids and create a culturally competent and inclusive district for everyone.”
Wicks said she also doesn’t believe that the students are being prepared adequately for college or careers after graduation.
“At the end of the day, if you really care about kids, you need to roll up your sleeves and you need to dig into this and you need to start caring,” she said, “because you are all they have. So if you don’t get it right then we are never going to get it right.”

Superintendent says kids are prepared

Johnson said that roughly 90 percent of the seniors at Hoboken High School had been accepted to college last year and that over $9 million in merit based scholarships were issued for the kids in the high school.
“We are on track to hit that mark if not exceed it,” said Johnson. “I think its important for the record to note that our kids are, in fact, interested in going to college. They are interested in careers outside what might be considered a traditional career path that doesn’t require a college education, and quite frankly, even those that are not in fact choosing to go to college are going through a college preparatory program that enables them to be prepared for the workforce, the 21st century workforce. “
Johnson also said there are no “tracks” at the high school, and that the Hoboken School District is one of the few districts that does not create obstacles or have entrance exams for students to get into Advance Placement or Project Lead the Way courses.
“They are open to all students that choose to participate,” said Johnson. “Our guidance staff does an incredible job encouraging and teaching kids about those classes.”
She noted, “Our performance on the Advanced Placement test– and we talk about this year after year–has to improve, and it’s continuing to improve as the teachers get [students] more and more used to participating in rigorous courses.”
Wicks responded to Johnson’s saying that if there are no tracks, “Then let’s have and outside consultant come in and do complete review of the district. Why don’t we do that?… have an outside consultant, have the ACLU come in. That would be great. They are experienced at doing this.
In a follow up interview, Johnson said that the district is committed to being an inclusive community and will be working on a plan with the district’s Staff Diversity Council, which was formed last year.
“Currently, the Board of Education has asked the administration to pull data together to look at our programs and schools’ demographic footprints,” said Johnson. “The administration is currently doing so. We are also going to collect qualitative data from staff, parents, and students, as we continuously want to improve and ensure high-quality and equitable programs for all. We are also focusing on global learning and global awareness, as we want to celebrate our district’s diversity. Our Board of Education and Staff Diversity Council will assess the data and revise any actions or policies that are necessary. The district will absolutely take input from all stakeholders, via small advisory groups that will be established once the process of data collection is complete. The culminating work will result in goal setting and creation and publication of data dashboards.”
Johnson said she believes goals will be set for the district by the summer.

Three board members say goodbye

Hoboken Board of Education member Britney Montgomery resigned two weeks ago in a letter to the board, according to Board President Thomas Kluepfel, who announced her resignation at the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday Dec. 12.
Montgomery was not in attendance, but fellow board member Peter Biancamano read a statement for her.
“To the community of Hoboken, I was recently asked to undertake a new role in with my employer that would require me to travel extensively throughout the year,” read Biancamano on Montgomery’s behalf. “I originally hoped to fulfill these new professional responsibilities while continuing to serve on the Hoboken school board, but over the past several weeks it has become clear that I would be unable to contribute to the board in the manner it requires, and more importantly the manner it deserves.”
“It has been a true honor to work on behalf of the families of Hoboken,” he read. “I am proud of all we have accomplished in the past two years. I have no doubt the board will continue these successes under the Leadership of the Trustees and Superintendent Johnson. I will always hold the district in the highest regard and be forever thankful for the opportunity to serve the children, parents, teachers and community of Hoboken.”
Montgomery was elected to the board in 2015.
The school board has 65 days to appoint a new member to fill Montgomery’s now vacant seat; otherwise the county superintendent will do so.
Hoboken residents interested in filling Montgomery’s position may apply to the board and are then interviewed during closed sessions.
It was also Peter Biancamano’s last meeting, as he was not reelected to his seat during the Nov. 7 municipal election.
It was also Trustee Mark McNamara’s last meeting as he did not seek reelection.
Biancamano said he decided to become a trustee because “I love my community, and helping to make our district schools become the best they can be fulfills my obligation to give back to my community — a value my parents instilled in me from an early age. As Winston Churchill once said, we make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give.”
Biancamano added, “The Hoboken Board of Education is filled with great teachers, administrators, and staff members — always a bragging point of mine while attending New Jersey School Board Association meeting. Their time, dedication, and commitment given should be commended. With hard work, determination, and perseverance, even a deli boy could have made so many impactful decisions benefiting our community.”
Biancamano’s family owns a popular Italian deli on upper Washington Street.
He said, “I feel as if my service to community is not over but needs a much needed break. When one door closes, another opens.”
McNamara was not in attendance.

District recognizes teachers and students

Assistant Superintendent Gerald Fitzhugh presented the district’s students of the month of November, awarding each a certificate.
First grader Thomas Hodge was student of the month at Brandt Primary School. Kindergarten student Skylar Dellafave was student of the month at Calabro School. At Connors, third grader Jayvion Henderson was awarded student of the month, and at Wallace, sixth grader Kendall McDonough won student of the month.
Eighth grader Leo Papaneouphytou was the Hoboken Middle School student of the month and Junior Brianna Cortes was the Hoboken High School student of the month.
The superintendent also recognized two teachers for their work in the district, Krystal Claudio and Chris Munoz.
Claudio has been in the district since September 2016 and is an ELA Response to Intervention Teacher based in Wallace Elementary School. She is also the coordinator of services for ELA and Math RTI services and English as a second language teacher. Johnson said she is a “master teacher,” who understands the needs of her students.
Claudio said “I am incredibly honored to be recognized by the administration and the board…I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for trusting me with the lives of the children in the district… my students make it easy for me to get up each day and give my all.”
Munoz has served the Hoboken public school district for the past 13 years and is the vice president of the teachers union. He teaches social studies as well as special education. He is the advisor to the Hoboken High School Hispanic Club. He’s also the facilitator to the Inspired Classroom program for students.
Johnson said his impact reaches ‘far beyond the classroom.”
Munoz thanked the board for the honor and recognition and “It’s easy to do things with the kids when you have a leader like Principal Piccapietra… she is always there to encourage me.”
“I wouldn’t be here without the colleges and students who support me every day,” he added.

Marilyn Baer can be reached at marilynb@hudsonreporter.com.

Hoboken received long-awaited aid to help the area protect itself from hurricanes and flooding in the form of $230 million in “Rebuild by Design” funds from the federal government, released last week.
The funds will spur barriers and structures in Hoboken and parts of Weehawken and Jersey City.
This is just one way the city has been trying to protect itself after Hurricane Sandy caused over $1 billion in damage flooding residents’ homes five years ago, an event that trapped many in their homes and caused more than a week of power outages.
Rebuild By Design
The cost of Rebuild by Design is estimated between $230 million to $274 million and has an estimated annual maintenance cost of $1.4 million to $2.4 million. The four-pronged plan is set to begin construction in 2019 and be completed by 2022. The state Department of Environmental Protection will choose the builders and other developers.
The program was started in 2013 by the federal Environmental Protection Agency to protect coastal cities from storms, the effects of global warming, and rising sea levels.
Builders will erect a flood-resistance structure stretching from 19th Street in Weehawken into northern Hoboken, slightly inland from the river. An additional flood resistance structure will be constructed along the south end of town into Jersey City.
Zimmer said in an interview last week that she has already began asking the state to find funding to pay for maintenance costs.
The project will protect 85 percent of Hoboken’s residents in the floodplain. The city has hosted a workshop for residents who won’t be protected by the plan to discuss other ways to protect themselves, including deployable systems such as temporary barricades and moving utilities to higher ground.
“The threat is real,” said Zimmer. “We could be hit by another superstorm like Sandy and it could be in two weeks, it could be in a year, or it could be in six months. It’s important we continue to move forward and get this project done.”
Hoboken is also alleviating flooding through new resiliency parks, which will retain over a million gallons of water.
This includes the newly opened Southwest Park, and the yet to be constructed Northwest Park and Seventh and Jackson Street Park.
The city also has two flood pumps, H-1 and H-5, that discharge water into the Hudson River to help keep city streets dry and basements from flooding.
The city has also established more green space through rain gardens, and encourages green roofs on new developments.

Building guidelines

The city also implemented “resilient building design guidelines” in Oct. 2015, in a 53-page document that outlines the city and state laws governing construction in Hoboken’s flood prone areas. It also details the approval process for repairs, improvements, and new construction.
Under the resilient building design guidelines, there are three categories of construction, two of which require a floodplain permits from the city.
Major repairs and renovations to a building – those costing more than 50 percent of assessed value — are considered substantial improvements and will need a floodplain permit. Many of the requirements that make a building flood resistant occur below a building’s Design Flood Elevation (DFE), usually found by adding the first one to three feet above the base flood elevation (BFE). BFE is determined by which flood zone the building is in, according to 2013 Advisory Base Flood Elevation maps.
As of 2013, no new residential units are allowed below whatever the DFE is in their zone, with some exceptions. Existing units can remain, but if substantial improvements are made, the property owner must adhere to the Resilient Building Design Guidelines.
So for example, if someone substantially rehabilitates a building with a basement level apartment, they can add an additional floor to their home to compensate for that no longer viable apartment.
Residences on lower floors such as garden or basement apartments may be insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) with some exceptions.
New commercial spaces below DFE must be dry flood proofed, and obtain a flood proofing certificate.
There are various zone restrictions on what kinds of construction and flood proofing methods people can use. For instance, water resistant and mold resistant materials are recommended.

Backup power

The city will also undertake a microgrid feasibility study, which was approved by the Hoboken City Council this month. The study will determine if a micro grid in the center of town, which will distribute power and heat to critical facilities, is a feasible option. These smaller grids operate on their own from the main power grid and will provide power to these facilities in case of power outages during emergencies or disasters.
The microgrid would service “critical facilities” such as Hoboken Fire Company 3, Police Headquarters, City Hall, the Hoboken Homeless Shelter, St. Matthews Church, as well as St. Peter and Paul Church, Kings Grocery, municipal garages B, D & G, multiple senior housing facilities, the YMCA, two local pharmacies, three Hoboken Housing Authority Properties, Andrew Jackson Gardens, Harrison Gardens, Adams and Monroe Gardens, and pump stations.
The city has also worked with PSE&G on a new substation that will help keep power on during severe storms.
The power outages in 2012 were largely caused by power that got flooded and soaked.

Insurance

Zimmer said she believes the Rebuild by Design project will help reduce the costs of flood insurance in the city. Flood insurance rates are based upon how well a structure complies with the regulations of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
In 2012, Congress passed the Biggert Waters Flood Insurance Reform act, which required the NFIP to raise its rates to more accurately reflect flood risks. According to NFIP statistics, as of June 30, 2015, the city of Hoboken had 9,269 NFIP policies in place with premiums of $6,734,044, the fifth highest in all of New Jersey.
The overall liability to the NFIP from property owners in Hoboken was over $2 billion (third highest in New Jersey) with an average claim amount of $26,243.”
“The National Flood Insurance Program is beyond broke,” said Zimmer. “ Billions in the hole. There was a big study done over the last decade which shows there has been almost 300 billion dollars spent in dealing with disaster relief, and there is the potential that the federal government may make the decision to take on more of that cost, which means flood insurance premiums could go through the roof.”

Reflection

The city of Hoboken and the Hoboken Historical Museum invite residents and visitors to an open house event to in connection with the fifth anniversary of Sandy. The event will take place on Sunday, Oct. 29 from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Museum, 1301 Hudson St.
Residents and visitors are invited to view Sandy-related materials, sign the museum’s five-year anniversary reflection book, and enjoy hot beverages and desserts.
Coincidentally, Accuweather predicts heavy rains and potential flooding that afternoon.
For more information on Sandy and personal accounts from Hoboken residents, also see our story at: https://tinyurl.com/ycxkgaz3.

Life during the storm

The category 1 hurricane made a direct hit on the Jersey Shore, landing two days before Halloween on Oct. 29, 2012 and trapping people in their homes with high floodwaters south of Sixth Street.
Some neighbors kayaked down city streets while others wore trash bags on their feet as protection from sewage infested water.
Governor Chris Christie declared a state of emergency and the National Guard was in town to assist residents.
Much of the town was without heat or electricity. Those with power on certain blocks threaded extension cords through their windows to outside, so neighbors could charge their phones and laptops.
Some local restaurants without power gave away food to those who needed it and others worked on the honor system, as no power meant no ATM for cash or working credit card machines.
The Hoboken University Medical Center was evacuated and patients were sent to other facilities for care.
The Hudson Reporter, whose offices lost power for a week, published that weekend after the staff worked in a conference room in the maternity ward of Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen.
“My most vivid memory of Sandy is walking down Hudson Street and seeing so many extension cords trailing out the front doors and windows of residents who were lucky enough to keep power,” said Alison Singer in a past article. “Some provided WiFi passwords, others provided coffee and snacks, still others just provided encouraging words and a place to sit. It was the most amazing show of community I have ever seen. It made me proud to live in Hoboken.”
After the storm departed, an army of volunteers including students and residents came to City Hall to assist officials and the CERT (Citizen Emergency Response Team) in finding needy seniors and others who were trapped. The mayor called in the National Guard and began having daily briefings outside City Hall.
The city wrote information in a few locations around town, including on the window of Starbucks on 12th Street, about where to get water and other necessities.

Marilyn Baer can be reached at marilynb@hudsonreporter.com.

After a teenager was shot to death in his family’s apartment in the Hoboken Housing Authority projects last month, the City Council approved funding for new doors following much debate.
The resolution follows the death of Housing Authority resident Adrian Rivera, 18, who was shot and killed in his home last month. Police said that large quantities of marijuana were found in the apartment and that he had known the alleged attackers from childhood. Two young Jersey City men and a teen have been arrested.
Two weeks ago, officials held a community meeting in which several residents discussed their safety concerns including open, outdated doors.
While all members of the council agreed at their meeting on Wednesday night that the doors needed to be replaced because they pose a safety risk for residents, some council members wanted to table the resolution to determine if they were authorizing the correct source of funding.
The HHA is run by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, and overseen by a seven-member volunteer Board of Commissioners and a paid director and staff. But it has grappled on and off with facilities problems for years.
The amount “up to $360,000” would come from the City Capital Fund. The fund was established from a settlement of litigation and can be spent on projects, according to the resolution, “consistent with the Housing element of the Master Plan, and the replacement of doors… is consistent with the Master Plan.”
According to Community Development Director Brandy Forbes, the fund was set up for affordable housing purposes and was funded by a settlement through the bankruptcy of the Tarragon Corporation in 2009.
The HHA is funded by rents and federal money and is autonomous from the city, which is funded by property taxes. The city did not discuss whether it will ask for federal reimbursement.

A delay to recheck funding

Council President Jennifer Giattino originally suggested pulling the resolution, which also provides over $200,000 to American Legion Post 107. The vets are planning to reconstruct their building to provide apartments for six homeless veterans.
“I’m saying wait two weeks,” said Giattino. “Let’s make sure that this is the proper source of funding. That funding is coming from the best source and the right source.”
Councilman and HHA Commissioner David Mello disagreed. “It is important for us to hear this tonight. There is a lot of concern and the doors are an issue we had already identified as a top issue that would bring higher safety to the Housing Authority.”
“The thing that resonates with me most is we have a community that is socioeconomically and racially segregated from the rest of the community and they spoke loud and clear,” said Councilman Ravi Bhalla. “They need our help now. They said we need help and it’s our job as a council to help them. We can take action now or we can take action in two weeks, but I think tabling this resolution sends the wrong message to the public.”

Council: Mayor slow with info

Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher said everyone was alarmed and saddened by the death of Rivera and by residents’ safety concerns but her reservation was that there was not enough backup information for the resolution.
“My concern is we don’t have enough information around the total cost of the project,” said Fisher
She added that she had asked the mayor for two more weeks but “the mayor didn’t listen. It’s so frustrating. This was given to us last Friday as a two-page resolution with no backup information. We didn’t get back up until early this week. I just want to make sure all of us are operating off of the right information. I want to ensure we give the right amount of funding to both of these projects, and our opinion and views were not respected.”

Crime necessitates action now

Councilman Michael Russo said he’d heard recently of an attempted sexual assault of a young woman in an authority building in the 3rd Ward.
“That’s a situation I don’t think you wait two minutes on, let alone two weeks,” said Russo.
Councilman Ruben Ramos said, “I think it is an appropriate time and an appropriate amount of money. Although the entire thing costs $1.3 million including doors, lights, security camera upgrades, the doors itself for all of the housing authority is the $360,000 amount.”
_____________
“Let’s show there is no difference between Housing Authority residents and residents on 12th and Hudson.” – Michael Russo
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Councilman Peter Cunningham said, “We are all saying the same thing…There is no question about it. We all support it, and think this is important, but the Hoboken Housing Authority has already had the support of grant funding we’ve been able to achieve to replace elevators. I think it’s sad in a way we put elevators, which really do need to be replaced, ahead of the doors and safety measures.”
He added, “I honestly think CBGB grants are the way to go for this.”
“There are many things being said I disagree with,” said Councilman Jim Doyle. “I think it is unfortunate this is being portrayed as a political decision. The council president requested two weeks, and from what I understand it won’t stall the door installation.”
Councilman Michael DeFusco said, “We are considering a pop up park for half a million dollars with a water feature and sail [shade structure] but can’t provide doors, a basic necessity?”
Councilman Russo asked: “Is there any downside through trying to fund this in a different way if we fund it this way tonight? In the meantime, we find a secondary funding source and switch it two weeks from now or whenever it may be?”
“It is about optics in a sense,” added Russo. “Let’s show there is no difference between Housing Authority residents and residents on 12th and Hudson. I hear about the back of town frequently and I am sick of it.”
“Let’s all leave our doors unlocked for the next two weeks and live like they do in the Hoboken Housing Authority and see how we like it,” said Ramos.

Luxury vs. necessity

Hoboken resident Cheryl Fallick addressed the council on their behavior.
“That was quite a display,” said Fallick. “I for one want to thank the council president for at least trying to create some sort of a process. I appreciate anybody who wants to think things through and not throw things on a wall and see what sticks.”
“As Councilman Ramos said, there are optics in voting against the Hoboken Housing Authority or veterans,” added Falick. “It’s almost cruel to put it on the agenda before there could be some discussion on this.”
Resident Elizabeth Adams said, “I find it interesting to hear much discoursing and back and forthing and heated debate over finding funding for doors for $360,000 plus $206,000 for the American Legion. There is a lot of debate over the funding source for these doors which have been expressed as a critical and crucial need. But back in the beginning of August, when lots of folks were away on vacation, a resolution passed, unanimously I think, authorizing over $4 million for a second boat house that only a small fraction of the population of this city are going to utilize a few months out of the year.”
She added, “I find it mind blowing.”
Marilyn Baer can be reached at marilynb@hudsonreporter.com.

SIDEBAR

Council approves pop up park design and public discusses Washington Street

The City Council approved an updated design for the pop-up park on land acquired by the city from chemical company BASF in December. Ultimately, the land will be a 6-acre resiliency park and parking garage.
Ideas for the park’s design stemmed from online surveys completed by residents and from a public meeting in January. The project designers, KimleyHorn, changed the design to reflect the concerns and comments made during the public meeting.
In the southwest corner of the temporary park, there will be mural space, a bocce ball court, a seating area, child’s play equipment and surface games such as life-size chess and hopscotch. In the northwest corner will be an open programmable space in which yoga classes or performances could take place.
In the center is a spray feature and shaded community space, including BBQ and picnic tables, storage containers, and a seating area. In the northeast, the park will have mini golf, a bouldering and climbing wall, and above ground community garden plots.
In the southeast the park will have three multi sport courts, a seating area, and additional shade structures. The park will be surrounded by a running path with fitness stations. The park will be encircled by a fence with six gated entrances.
Councilman DeFusco said the park will be in an industrial zone where trucks make frequent deliveries and where a new storage facility is being built. He asked how the designers are addressing safety.
Adam Gibson, the project manager, said they have included a fence surrounding the park and increased the access points to be conducive with existing crosswalks which will help prevent families from trying to cross midblock to get into the park.
Gibson also said the city is looking to see where enhanced crosswalk painting and signs need to be placed.
DeFusco said he is in firm support of the interim use, but asked the city keep an eye on the area as traffic patterns and construction may change and affect the safety of pedestrians.
Councilman Ramos said he was concerned with puddling and lighting in the park.
Gibson said the park has existing drainage and that they can do patching of identified low points to help with drainage. Gibson said light will be on the existing surrounding utility posts and in the interior of the site.
Councilman Cunningham said that with the addition of Trader Joe’s to the neighborhood in May the city should evaluate traffic flow, as it could be an issue.
The temporary park will open in May.

Sidebar 2

Washington Street redesign ongoing

At Wednesday’s council meeting, Hoboken resident Mary Ondrejka said she was concerned with the curb extensions at intersections along Washington Street that will be implemented during the Washington Street Redesign.
“There are supposed to be four curb extensions per intersection right now and I think there should be two,” said Ondrejka, who said she was concerned about traffic backup caused by turning vehicles, buses using the extensions to let out passengers instead of pulling into bus stops, and the ability of fire trucks to make turns.
“My main concern is buses,” said Ondrejka. “I’ve seen curb extensions where buses use them as arrival and departure places.”
Business Administrator Stephen Marks said the four way curb extensions were approved by the council a year ago and would make street crossings safer for pedestrians as they will spend less time in the road.
Councilman Mello said he is concerned about traffic back up caused by turning vehicles. He believes cars won’t be able to maneuver around turning vehicles.
“I can see a scenario in which a car heading north on Washington Street and wants to make a left hand turn, and now there is not enough width for other cars to move around them,” said Mello.
Councilwoman Fisher said she believes the extensions will be the same width as the parallel parked cars and won’t cut into the flow of traffic.
Resident Haney Ahmed said he was “disappointed” the city hadn’t tested the curb extensions to see how it would impact traffic flow.
He said, “I called Observer Highway from the start and we are stuck with it until we admit the failure and undo it. This is the same thing, but on Washington Street, which is worse… If you want to try it out, try it out with cones, and if it is a disaster, better to fix it now then to have to rip it up later.”
“This is our main avenue,” added Ahmed. “You kill this and you kill the city.”

Councilwoman Vanessa Falco, who has long-time family roots in this town, knows that some of the people who have historically added to the fabric of Hoboken – artists, blue-collar workers – may have to leave town if their apartments become unaffordable or unliveable.
As a tenant of affordable housing on Jefferson Street, and as chair of the Affordable Housing Subcommittee on the council, she said during a Monday public meeting that since she moved into her unit 13 years ago, no other affordable housing has been completed.
“I felt it would be helpful to involve the community on affordable housing and not just through a subcommittee of three people working on this complex issue,” said Falco.
Monday evening, residents and city officials met to discuss the beginnings of a working group to establish goals for the City Council’s subcommittee on affordable housing and help tackle some of the issues.
In fact, Hoboken technically has a lot of government-designated affordable housing, but it’s rarely accessible to those who need it. People who got into it decades ago aren’t leaving, demand is growing, and some of the housing stock has aged out of the original government program that made it affordable.
The median rent for an apartment in Hoboken is $2,700, according to Zillow. If a longtime resident has to leave his or her housing, perhaps because the building becomes unliveable, does he or she have options in the city?
There are state and city laws in place that mandate that new developments include a certain percent of affordable housing, but developers have only finished a trickle of such units in the last decade.
“People have alleged that Hoboken is becoming less and less socioeconomically diverse and people are being pushed out and are subject to displacement,” said Mayor Ravi Bhalla. “People are alleging that we are becoming community of the uber-wealthy… and this results in Hoboken not being the Hoboken we know and love.”
In fact, most of those appointed to the town’s Zoning Board, which makes decisions on housing projects and variances from zoning rules, have been property owners, with few tenants chosen in a town full of renters.
Bhalla said at Monday’s meeting, “This is the beginning of an ongoing discussion on our affordable housing inventory, affordable housing mechanisms, and how do we extend those mechanisms and explore mechanisms we haven’t utilized yet.”

Types of affordable housing

Hoboken currently has at least five types of affordable housing.
The first is the low-income, federally subsidized housing that people sometimes refer to as “the projects,” run by the Hoboken Housing Authority. The 1,383 units are situated in 28 buildings on the west side of town, including several for senior citizens. While the rents are partly subsidized by the federal government, tenants pay the rest, depending on income. The federal department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) technically oversees these units, but they’re primarily managed by a local director and staff and overseen by a locally appointed volunteer Board of Commissioners.
Currently, there are 34 units vacant. But they require repairs and construction, so they’re not available yet, said Hoboken Housing Authority Commissioner Barbara Reyes.
The HHA also oversees and administers another type of affordable housing, Section 8 vouchers, which people can use to rent private apartments. The vouchers help cover the difference between the going rent and what people can afford to pay. Wait lists for these vouchers are usually long or closed.
The third type of affordable housing is the various rent-controlled units in the city. Rent control was established after World War II when housing stock was limited and demand was rising. The idea was to make sure that once a family put down roots in a unit, the landlord couldn’t jack up the rent and give them a choice of either an unfair rent, or having to move again.
Hoboken’s rent control ordinance was established in 1973. Generally, landlords can raise the rent a few percent a year, in accordance with the cost of living increase, and also pass along portions of property taxes and water surcharges. Landlords also can increase the rent in other instances, such as if they apply to the city for an “economic hardship” increase or if a longtime tenant has moved out after a certain number of years.
Over the years, the city has tried to adjust the law to keep up with societal changes, but has erred on the side of protecting tenants from an unfair eviction.
Bhalla, a former tenant lawyer, said, “Rent control units are an imperfect but essential means of preserving and protecting affordable housing.”
He added that due to the diligence of the council in years past, several resolutions have been voted down that could have unfairly changed or eliminated the Rent Control Ordinance.
The fourth type of affordable housing is inclusionary zoning, which requires a percentage of any new developments to allocate a portion of their units to be affordable. Megan York of Community Grants, Planning & Housing is the administrative agent for the city, which is in charge of the lottery system for residents who apply and qualify for new units built under this program.
According to York, five units have been built at 600 Harrison St. and are already occupied under the program, and 52 are under construction nearby. Forty-two of the nearby units are on Jackson Street.
Residents have applied for those units via a website, and were put into a lottery system. Those already living in town get preference.
Currently there are 7,000 people on the waiting list for the units, 800 of whom are Hoboken residents, she said.
The rent varies based on household income limits and the different types of units. She said rent will range from about $600 for a one bedroom to $1,350 for a three-bedroom.
The last type of affordable housing currently existing in Hoboken are large apartment complexes – like Clock Towers, Church Towers, and Marine View Plaza – created under special government programs in the 1960s and 1970s for moderate- and low-income residents. There is very low turnover with these units, and wait lists have been closed for years.
Decades ago, the developers received either a tax break or a low-interest loan, or other incentives, to build them, and made an agreement to keep the rents low. Some units have stopped being affordable because they aged out of the program.
Church Tower’s PILOT agreement – payments the developer makes in lieu of taxes – ended this year, and according to Council President Ruben Ramos, the city is in discussions with the owner to perhaps extend it as the council did in 2015 with Clock Towers.
Many city workers and teachers moved into the buildings when their incomes were low or moderate. Residents are not required to leave if their incomes become high. That’s why Hoboken residents will often hear talk of certain city officials who earn a salary, pension, and have bought land at the shore or elsewhere, who still live in affordable housing. In some cases, these residents with higher incomes pay an extra fee toward their rent.

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“People are alleging that we are becoming a community of the uber-wealthy… and this results in Hoboken not being the Hoboken we know and love.” — Mayor Ravi Bhalla
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Worth pursuing

Bhalla said the city is looking into finding more developers who specialize in affordable housing.
“These developers work with federal and state agencies to make entire buildings affordably subsidized,” said Bhalla. “I am in the process of talking with our legal counsel to see if that’s a possibility here.”
He said that perhaps the city could allocate portions of redevelopment zones to be reserved solely for this purpose.
“We live in a diverse community of people from many socioeconomic backgrounds, and we want residents who can live work and play in Hoboken,” said Bhalla. “That’s a major, major, major priority.”

Leaving the Housing Authority

Margie Marrero, who has lived in the Hoboken Housing Authority buildings for 59 years, said she believes the affordable housing units aren’t actually accessible or affordable for those who need them.
“What happens to people in the Housing Authority who want to move out of the Housing Authority but can’t afford those apartments?” she asked. “What happens to us and where do we stand? I don’t want to live there all my life. I would like to live somewhere else, but I am on disability I can’t afford that type of affordable housing. So does that mean I’m stuck?”
Cheryl Fallick, who sits on the city’s Rent Leveling and Stabilization Board, said at the meeting that she believes there could be a problem with the online lottery system used for the recent affordable units.
She said she believes the online system should be checked, because she has heard from a few residents who said they did not receive a lottery number.
York said she would look into it.
Resident Dina Petrozelli said some of the buildings that used to accept vouchers no longer do.
“At the end of the day, you have affordable housing, but they aren’t accepting our vouchers anymore in places like Marine View,” said Petrozelli. “There are thousands of people who live there who don’t need to live there.”
Some of the most notable cases, as has been pointed out in political campaigns over the years, are high-ranking politicians in Hoboken and Hudson County who have earned six-figure salaries and pensions and remained in “affordable” housing.
Petrozelli added that she believes there has to be a faster way the new affordable housing inclusionary units come online.
“You have 7,000 people on the list for affordable housing. This is obviously a need. Does it make sense not to have more units available?” she asked. “We will be dead by the time our name gets called.”
Hoboken resident Mike Evers said, “There is a perception that there are a substantial number of units for affordable housing that are no longer occupied by people who need affordable housing. There are also existing units in the housing projects that are empty. My question is, what mechanisms are available to the city to require the people living in affordable housing to actually need it. What’s the legal recourse?”
Councilwoman Jen Giattino, who also sits on the Affordable Housing Subcommittee, noted that people who live in affordable units created under government agreements must prove their income and pay a surcharge if they make over the amount based on their income.
Resident Hany Ahmed said that adding new housing is a good idea, but the city needs to also work to preserve the affordable housing units that already exist because the city will eventually run out of land that can be developed.

Resources for residents

Several residents said the city should provide a place to post information and resources about affordable housing and tenant rights.
Many new tenants are unaware of whether their unit is rent controlled, for instance. Almost all units in town built before 1987 are rent controlled, unless they are part of a government program like the aforementioned.
One woman suggested that there should be monthly signs hung in public buildings and lobbies advertising the city’s Tenant Advocate office hours, besides posting them in the media.
Bhalla said he’d consider putting the information in a citywide mailer, as they do with summer recreation activities.
Alissa Reeves, a relatively new resident, said the city should have an informational brochure with recommendations and referrals to legal offices in case a resident has an issue with a landlord.
Bhalla said he is hoping to rework and reopen the city’s office of constituent services, which could distribute information on affordable housing as well as help with “the whole gambit of issues residents face” in June.
Hoboken also has a tenant advocate, Andrew Sobel, who, for a few hours a week, offers legal counsel for any Hoboken resident who needs help or advice on housing matters. His contract was extended by the city this year to allow him to help represent residents in need in court. In the past he could only offer advice.
As of now, he said he is discussing who he will be able to represent, possibly those who can’t afford to fight their eviction.
He also refers people to the Waterfront Project, a local non profit with offices in Hoboken to help needy people with all sorts of legal cases. He also refers people to the Northeast New Jersey Legal Services in Jersey City.
Residents can schedule an appointment with Sobel at City Hall between 5 and 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 10, 17, and 31 and June 14 and 28. Residents can call George McCarthy in Sobel’s office in advance at (201) 338-7411 and provide a description of the issue to be discussed in order to schedule an appointment.
Residents who wish to apply for inclusionary affordable housing units can do so at www.affordablehomesnewjersey.com.
Falco said residents who wish to join working groups who did not sign up at the meeting can do so by emailing her at councilfalco@gmail.com.

Marilyn Baer can be reached at marilynb@hudsonreporter.com.