Letter to the Editor: Mayoral Candidate Ruben Ramos Jr. and his Running Mates

To the Editor:

We are disappointed to learn that the Mayor and half of City Council have decided to halt all progress on the Housing Authority’s plan to provide more modern, safe, LEED-certified environmentally friendly and affordable housing to Hoboken’s low-income residents.

The award-winning, federally recognized Vision 20/20 plan, which has been in the discussion and development phase for three years, has been under extensive review and revision by the HHA, and requires only funding approval in order to move forward. By rejecting the proposal put forth by the Housing Authority less than one week before the approval deadline, the Mayor is
preventing progress for at least another year.

The argument that the PILOT funding mechanism was a sudden, surprise plan is
dubious. Not only are current HHA units on a PILOT plan with the City of Hoboken, the PILOT revenue generated by phase I of Vision 20/20 is $5,000 more per year than the City would receive under the existing municipal tax structure.

Additionally, because of the cost of Phase I, HHA is obligated to hire residents to work in the construction jobs that will be created through the building of these new units. Approving Phase I would have been a win for the City, a win for the
Housing Authority, and a win for HHA residents.

The fact that the Mayor cites resident safety and accessibility as reasons to delay construction is superficial at best. Architects and engineers who have been working on the design of this project agree that the current HHA buildings fall woefully short of meeting current safety codes. The unfortunate truth is that Housing Authority residents are living in dilapidated buildings now, and the Mayor is forcing the entire HHA population to remain in these buildings indefinitely by halting progress on Phase I of Vision 20/20.

The residents of the Housing Authority deserve action on Phase I of Vision 20/20 now, and it looks like they will not be receiving the help they need under the current administration. We owe it to those who are living in unsafe, substandard, minimally accessible units and buildings to show that we care about their safety and well-being. It is our hope that the members of the City Council in conjunction with the Administration can make this plan a reality for those who are relying on having a better place to live and raise a family.

Ruben Ramos

Joe Mindak

Laura Miani

Eduardo Gonzalez