Hoboken Forced To Change Affordable Housing Rule

HOBOKEN, NJ — A policy for Hoboken's affordable housing that gives local residents a preference on the wait list is discriminatory, the state of New Jersey said on Monday.

The office of New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin announced that as part of a settlement, the city has agreed to remove the preference.

In 2019, Hoboken's City Council voted for an ordinance granting existing Hoboken residents preferential access to the city's affordable housing, Platkin said in a release on Monday.

The ordinance replaced a previous policy that gave affordable housing preference to residents of a four-county region (Hudson, Bergen, Passaic, and Sussex counties).

The new policy discriminated against other towns near Hoboken that might be more racially diverse, the state said.

The state's Division on Civil Rights opened an investigation after a Black resident of Jersey City resident filed a complaint with DCR alleging that she was not allowed to apply for an affordable housing unit in Hoboken despite having been on the wait list for five years.

Platkin's office said that Hoboken has agreed to amend its Ordinance to remove the Hoboken-only residency requirement.

"As part of the settlement announced today, Hoboken will also provide relief to individuals who were previously denied or skipped over on the waitlist," said the release, "and Hoboken has agreed to allocate an additional $30,000 for affordability assistance and other fair housing projects."

Hoboken has several types of affordable and low-income housing, including six federally run public housing complexes on its west side with 1,354 units of subsidized housing.

Hoboken also has newer affordable housing — with over 21,000 applicants on a waiting list, according to their affordable housing website.

“Housing discrimination continues to deny too many New Jerseyans the opportunity to access safe, affordable housing," Platkin said Monday. "The agreement announced today will make it easier for eligible low-income people to access affordable housing in a part of our state where rents are skyrocketing and affordable housing opportunities are at a premium."

The state said Hoboken will take these steps:

• Applicants previously denied or skipped on the waitlist because of Hoboken’s residency preference will have their prior waitlist position reinstated,
• Applicants who were previously skipped or removed will be screened for an opportunity to apply to an affordable housing unit, if otherwise eligible,
• Hoboken will allocate at least $30,000 to additional affordability assistance and other projects or training associated with fair housing; and
• All staff whose work relates to affordable housing administration will be required to complete training on housing discrimination laws.

Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla said Monday night, "We are happy to work with the AG's office to advance a resolution that reflects our common goals of ensuring equal opportunity to affordable housing in Hoboken."

To find out more information or to file a complaint about discrimination in New Jersey, go to www.njcivilrights.gov.