With a council meeting tonight at 7pm at City Hall, I wanted to give an update on a few agenda items before the meeting as well as a couple of other topics.
- Garage B: Voting No So We Can Plan Smartly
- Key Takeaways from my survey on Urban Planning and Hoboken’s Space needs – 344 responses
- Valve replacement at 15th and Willow
- Clock towers – Digging Into the Details: Clock Towers PILOT – Ensuring Long-Term Affordability
- Upcoming Community Meeting on Proposed Development at 1416 Clinton Street
- Hoboken Literary Weekend Returns to Little City Books – April 4 to 6, 2025
- Help the Hoboken Community Center Pantry Restock Reusable Bags
GARAGE B: VOTING NO SO WE CAN PLAN SMARTLY
Tonight the City Council is holding a public hearing on the proposed Garage B Redevelopment Plan and then will be voting. Please come to share your views. The meeting begins at 7pm at City Hall and this is one of the first things on the agenda. Although I do not anticipate changing my vote from No to Yes, I want to hear from as may public voices as possible so we ensure all views are considered in this debate.
Monday night, Hoboken Planning Board rejected the proposed 25-story affordable and workforce housing development at Garage B for being inconsistent with our city’s Master Plan (Read here). This plan is a missed opportunity to plan smartly and ensure that this valuable city-owned land serves all of Hoboken’s critical needs.
I strongly support workforce housing, but this project is incomplete and infeasible. You will hear my colleagues say we have an affordability crisis—and we do. But that is not our only crisis. Hoboken is also facing a space crisis, an infrastructure crisis, a school facilities crisis, a recreational space crisis, and a public safety facilities crisis. Instead of rushing into the wrong project, we can seize this moment to develop a comprehensive plan for Garage B and the surrounding area—one that ensures we will not be left without essential resources for our community.
This is why I am urging my City Council colleagues CW Jabbour, CM Ramos, CM Russo, CM Cohen and CM Quintero to support taking more time - another 90 days - instead of rushing to approve the plan in its current form, and call on Mayor Bhalla and his administration to deliver a complete vision for the entire redevelopment area.
My concerns remain the same as when I first wrote about this in my newsletter two weeks ago (Read here), and I detailed these issues further in my recent letter to the editor in Hudson County View (Read here). Others in the community have raised similar concerns: The Fund for a Better Waterfront warns that this project revives pay-to-play politics in Hoboken after years of reform Read here and questions whether this type of large-scale development is appropriate for the site Read here. And in a letter published on Patch, our neighbor outlines the negative impact on traffic, parking, and quality of life Read here.
Eighty percent of respondents rejected the Garage B proposal in my recent community survey. Survey results below.
With the right plan, we can make Garage B and the surrounding area even better—ensuring that we do not lose out on the resources Hoboken needs. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity, and we have the ability to get it right.
KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM MY SURVEY ON HOBOKEN RUNNING OUT OF SPACE
344 Hoboken residents have spoken clearly about the priorities for Hoboken’s future. The survey results highlight strong concerns about space constraints, infrastructure, and responsible development. Below is summary for each question asked. You can find the detailed results here.
1. Critical Community Needs
As available space disappears, respondents overwhelmingly identified public parking solutions (39 %), expanded public transportation (35 %), recreation facilities including a pool (34 %), parks and open space (34 %), and public safety enhancements (34 %) as top priorities.
2. Future Planning is Urgent
A staggering 88 % of respondents believe Hoboken risks losing critical space for these needs if the city does not plan effectively.
3. Best Use of City-Owned Land
When asked where the city should focus its own land-use efforts, the top choices mirrored overall community needs:
- More parks and open space (39 %)
- Recreation and sports facilities, including a pool (39 %)
- More parking solutions (39 %)
- Expanded public transportation (35 %)
- New schools and education facilities (32 %)
4. Growth Without Infrastructure is a Concern
With Hoboken’s population expected to grow by over 20 % in the coming years, survey responses show deep concerns about infrastructure keeping pace:
- 82 % say the city lacks sufficient water and sewer capacity.
- 76 % believe parking facilities are inadequate.
- 62 % cite pedestrian safety enforcement as insufficient.
- 58 % say public transportation is already stretched too thin.
5. Managing Large-Scale Development
There is strong public support for slowing down large-scale development until a full community needs assessment is completed:
- 67 % support a temporary pause on future development beyond the current pipeline.
- Only 20 % support continued large-scale development, provided developers incorporate community needs into their projects.
6. Garage B Redevelopment Rejected by Residents
An overwhelming 80 % of respondents oppose the proposed 25-story affordable/workforce housing project at Hudson between 2nd & 3rd Streets.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR HOBOKEN
These results send a clear message: residents want thoughtful, strategic planning to balance growth with essential infrastructure and community services. The city must ensure that development aligns with public needs, rather than outpacing the capacity to support a growing population.
Running the city better means prioritizing what residents actually need—not just what developers and politicians looking for headlines want to build.
WATER VALVE REPLACEMENT AT 15TH AND WILLOW
I know, just reading this is probably sending shudders through your spine. I pushed back overall on this project until Jersey Ave reopened so to not disrupt two main points of egress in Hoboken at the same time. However, this is a critically important valve replacement. One that needs to be done ASAP as the city gears up to replace the main valve in SW Hoboken. As a compromise, and because it is one of our busiest points of egress on the north end, the city was able to schedule the work to be overnight, not impacting commuters and daytime traffic. There is a resolution to permit this overnight work (which is a waiver of our noise ordinance).
CLOCK TOWERS – DIGGING INTO THE DETAILS:
CLOCK TOWERS PILOT – ENSURING LONG-TERM AFFORDABILITY
On tonight’s agenda for a City Council vote is a 30-year extension of the Clock Towers PILOT. While the Mayor's office began discussions in December, this is the first time the City Council has been asked to review the amendment, which expires in one week.
At first glance, extending a PILOT sounds like a way to protect affordability. But after reviewing the details, I have serious concerns about whether this extension truly safeguards tenants in the long run. The proposal only changes the expiration date from 2025 to 2055, without addressing other key provisions. Without additional safeguards, this extension could lead to unintended consequences that weaken tenant protections over time and cause displacement of long-term tenants.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Clock Towers is a 173-unit building currently under DCA (Department of Community Affairs) oversight, which exempts it from Hoboken’s rent control laws unless otherwise agreed upon. The breakdown of units:
- 84 units have project-based Section 8 or DCA vouchers, meaning tenants pay rent based on their income, with the government covering the rest up to HUD-established rent levels.
- 89 units are rent-controlled until 2035, per a previous legal settlement.
If the PILOT is extended without modifications, key questions remain:
- What happens in 2035? Will the 89 rent-controlled units remain protected, or could they transition to market rate, creating affordability challenges and displacement concerns for long-term tenants?
- Will all 84 project-based vouchers stay in place? Or does the owner have the ability to phase them out, reducing the number of affordable units while still benefiting from favorable tax treatment?
WOULD LETTING THE PILOT EXPIRE BE BETTER FOR TENANTS?
If the PILOT isn’t extended, Clock Towers would transition to standard rent control, similar to what happened at Church Towers and Marine View. That raises key considerations:
- Would the 89 rent-controlled units remain protected beyond 2035 instead of potentially expiring?
- Would voucher-based units roll into rent control at HUD-established rents rather than being converted to market rate?
Additionally, financial factors play a role. Currently, Clock Towers pays $165K per year in PILOT payments, none of which supports Hoboken’s public schools. If the PILOT expires, the building would pay closer to $600K in property taxes, with the City collecting ~$200K and our schools receiving ~$190K.
TAKING THE TIME TO GET THIS RIGHT
Knowing the deadline imposed, over the weekend, I sent these and other questions to Mayor Bhalla and our Business Administrator hoping to secure a shorter-term extension so we could fully evaluate the best path forward. Before committing to a 30-year extension, we should ensure it truly benefits tenants long-term. A 90-day extension would allow time to fully assess the impact, answer outstanding questions, and explore whether rolling the building into rent control might be the stronger, more protective path for tenants.
Running the city better means fully vetting major decisions—not rushing them through at the last minute without proper review. Keeping the Council and the public in the dark until the last possible moment is not how government should work. As your mayor, I won’t govern this way.
UPCOMING COMMUNITY MEETING ON PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AT 1416 CLINTON STREET
More development that exceeds heights and scale within plan…
A virtual community meeting will be held on Thursday, March 20, at 6 p.m. to discuss the proposed mixed-use redevelopment project at 1416 Clinton Street.
The development team will present plans for a nine-story building with ground-floor retail and 160 residential units, 16 affordable. The North End Redevelopment plan calls for maximum height of 60’, with 80’ allowed with incentives. This proposal includes a full floor above the maximum allowed in the plan and the heights already approved on 15th street. I have already suggested that if we approve this increase, the city should get a significant giveback over and above what we would already be getting.
Community members will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback on the project. To register for the meeting, click here.
HOBOKEN LITERARY WEEKEND RETURNS TO LITTLE CITY BOOKS – APRIL 4 TO 6, 2025
Little City Books is bringing back Hoboken Literary Weekend for its fifth year, hosting three days of literature, conversation, comedy, and theater from Friday, April 4 to Sunday, April 6 at their shop, 100 Bloomfield Street in Hoboken.This year’s lineup includes acclaimed authors, poets, and performers, featuring:
- Jean Hanff Korelitz, author of The Sequel
- Brian Selznick, author of Run Away with Me
- Deborah Treisman, Fiction Editor at The New Yorker, in conversation with Deborah Garrison
- Lucy Sante, author of I Heard Her Call My Name, with Hua Hsu, author of Stay True
- Marie Howe and Nick Flynn, presenting their latest poetry collections
- David Levithan, moderating a panel of young adult authors including Gayle Forman, Libba Bray, and Loan Le
- Little City Laughing, a night of stand-up comedy
- Little City Lights, short plays by emerging playwrights
This event has something for everyone, from literary fiction to poetry, memoir, and young adult fiction. Tickets and event details are available at Little City Books and through Eventbrite (click here).
HELP THE HOBOKEN COMMUNITY CENTER PANTRY RESTOCK REUSABLE BAGS
Did you know that all Hoboken Community Center Pantry programs use reusable bags? This spring, the HCC Pantry is looking to restock and needs your help. They are accepting donations of reusable shopping bags such as those from Amazon Prime, ShopRite, Walmart, FreshDirect, and similar stores. Plastic and paper bags cannot be accepted.
How to Donate:
- Drop off during donation hours: Thursdays from 9 to 11 AM at the HCC Pantry purple doors on 13th Street between Washington and Hudson Streets
- Use the HCC reusable bag bin located at the HCC Pantry purple doors
- Drop off at any of the four HCC donation boxes at these locations: Choc O Pain French Bakery (Downtown and Uptown Tea Building) bwe kafe (North End Hoboken and Newport)
Donating your extra reusable bags is an easy way to support this vital community program. Every bag helps ensure food is distributed efficiently and sustainably.
Have a great week and as always, please share this with everyone you know who may be interested and reach out any time on any issue important to you: 201-208-1674 or [email protected].
Tiffanie Fisher
Hoboken City Councilwoman
Engage. Inform. Advocate.
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