Hoboken Will Demolish, Rebuild Public Housing Projects Over 10 Years: Here's The Lowdown

HOBOKEN, NJ — The city of Hoboken voted last week to rehabilitate and replace 1,354 units of low-income and senior housing in the southwest part of town over 10 years.

The long-awaited modernization of the federally subsidized units, some of which go back to the 1940s, will allow the 2,500 current Hoboken Housing Authority residents to remain housed there, although some will be moved to other units in the neighborhood.

The City Council approved the 10-year plan at its meeting last Wednesday.

The six senior and low-income complexes will be replaced by structures ranging from six to 12 stories tall.

Some additional units of afforable and workforce housing will be added after the existing units are replaced.

The properties on 21 acres of western Hoboken were built between 1940 and 1979, the city said.

The improvements to the neighborhood will also, according to the city, "modernize the area’s stormwater and sewer infrastructure to reduce the impact of flooding" and include "transportation improvements to increase accessibility and circulation, a commercial corridor along Jackson Street, as well as community-focused amenities with recreation spaces including a new resiliency park along Marshall Street."

Some New Housing, After Existing Housing Is Replaced

The plan will include some new affordable and workforce housing.

The city said, "The phased approach will prioritize the rapid replacement of existing HHA units, while allowing for the development of new affordable and workforce housing units. Future redevelopment projects may include residential units for other income groups once HHA replacement unit requirements are satisfied."

The plan requires a minimum of 15 percent of those new units be affordable units, and 10 percent be workforce housing units for households with incomes ranging from 80 percent to 120 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI).

"The Hoboken Housing Authority Redevelopment Plan provides the roadmap to revitalize an aging HHA housing stock that will enhance the quality of life for our residents without permanently displacing a single person,” said Mayor Ravi Bhalla.

The Hoboken Housing Authority is overseen by the Hoboken Housing Authority Board of Commissioners and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“The adoption of the HHA Redevelopment Plan is an important and long-awaited milestone that will have a positive impact on the residents of the HHA and improve the quality of life in western Hoboken,” said 4th Ward Councilman Ruben Ramos. “Thank you to the Mayor, Administration, Director Recko, my colleagues on the Council and the HHA Commissioners for working together [and] thank you to the many HHA and citywide residents."

Hoboken Housing Authority Executive Director Marc Recko said, “A result of many hours of work by the City, HHA, and HHA residents has resulted in a plan that is a major step in assuring quality public and assisted housing far into Hoboken’s future for those that need it the most"

The HHA Redevelopment Plan was created with input gathered from the community through the HHA’s prior planning efforts, community and stakeholder meetings, and online surveys following the Hoboken City Council's designation of the HHA properties as an Area in Need of Redevelopment in November 2022

For more information on the Hoboken Housing Authority Redevelopment Plan Project, go to hobokennj.gov/hharedevelopmentplan.