Jersey City Breaks Ground On New St. Lucy’s Homeless Housing

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Jersey City officials and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark, Catholic Charities, broke ground on a brand new, 60,000 square foot homeless services facility located along Grove Street, between 15th and 16th Streets. This dynamic human-centered project will include emergency and transitional offerings along with multiple affordable housing solutions and comprehensive supportive services for individuals and families who are homeless.

“With this groundbreaking, we're building a safe space that will not only provide food and shelter for those in need, but we're also utilizing St. Lucy's established success as the foundation to build a brighter, more prosperous future for our neediest residents and families for generations to come," said Mayor Steven Fulop, “As we work collectively to eradicate homelessness, the City is committing over $2 million in grant funding to help expand beyond traditional shelter services to also include more permanent housing options and transitional support as well as everyday necessities that better address the health and well-being of our most vulnerable residents."

“This project is a tangible example of how the Archdiocese of Newark is heeding the call of Jesus, who asked his followers to help the vulnerable,” said Cardinal Joseph Tobin, Bishop of the Archdiocese of Newark. “Projects like this are desperately needed to bring the Gospel to life, which is why we are thankful to Mayor Fulop for his support and the ongoing collaboration between the development team and Catholic Charities. May their partnership continue to prosper as they begin the construction process.”

The newly expanded St. Lucy’s campus will feature a total of 165 beds for individuals who are homeless, 14 units of transitional housing for individuals with HIV, five permanent supportive housing units specifically for families, and 15 permanent affordable housing studio apartments. The housing and public services site also provides its temporary and permanent residents with access to comprehensive case management services offered on-site, with the goal being to help the individual find permanent housing, find employment, and address any other needs that they may have, such as physical health, mental health, or substance use.

Catholic Charities will have staff offices on the second floor of the new shelter where clients can be seen. The second floor will also include a drop-in area for nonresidents in need who can utilize St. Lucy’s services for showers, meals, and the new laundry facilities.

The St. Lucy’s Public Benefit Project and related St. Lucy’s Tower development effort has been underway since 2015 and includes a series of now complete property exchanges, zoning approvals, and overall planning consent. The new $16 million facility is fully funded through Claremont Companies and at no cost to Jersey City taxpayers.

“As one of the largest and longest-standing homeless shelters in the state, St. Lucy’s has always played a pivotal role in helping so many within our community,” said John Westervelt, Chief Executive Officer of Catholic Charities. “We couldn’t be more excited to mark the commencement of construction activity on such a transformational project. Our team really is looking forward to this state-of-the-art facility that will enable us to provide more services to our vulnerable neighbors.”

The current construction schedule calls for expected build-out completion by late 2022 or early 2023.