Affordable housing is one of the many problems surrounding Hoboken. With 69% of Americans claiming that they were “very concerned” about the cost of housing, it’s both a local and national concern. However, a decade-long lawsuit regarding affordable housing in Hoboken had finally come to its conclusion. The judge ruled in favor of the plaintiff and deemed that the lawsuit’s developers hadn’t followed the zoning ordinance. Across three buildings, the developers must set aside 56 units as affordable housing units.
The original lawsuit was brought by the nonprofit housing advocacy group Fair Share Housing Center against four developers in 2012. According to Hoboken’s Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance, which was enacted in 1988, residential developments with more than 10 units are required to reserve 10% of units for low and moderate-income households. Fair Share claimed that developers’ buildings weren’t marked as affordable housing and thus are not in compliance with the ordinance.
The four buildings involved were The Harlow, The Artisan on Clinton, Park + Garden, and VINE. While the Harlow settled it earlier through larger buildings, the remaining three buildings are currently involved in the lawsuit. Their prices range from roughly $3,000 a month for a one-bedroom or studio to more than $6,000 a month for three to four-person units.
Joseph Turula, a Hudson County judge, ruled that the developers can’t rent any more market-rate units until they add the required number of affordable housing units. VINE must add 13 affordable units, Park + Garden has to add 21, and Artisan of Clinton will need to provide 21 units. For each building’s affordable units, at least 25% must be affordable to low-income households, and the remaining 75% should be affordable to moderate-income households. They will be designated as affordable for 40 years.
Ravi S. Bhalla, Hoboken’s mayor, welcomed and supported the recent court ruling, saying that it’s a victory for housing equity and more affordable housing. He thanked Fair Share Housing for being staunch watchdogs and other developers who are working in good faith to provide the required affordable housing. The Hoboken Girl also reached out to various City Council members regarding their responses. Many had responded positively towards the ruling and expressed concerns over the rising rent and housing prices.
However, the developers of those three buildings had filed to appeal the ruling. Josh Bauers, Director of Exclusionary Zoning Litigation, stated that the Fair Share Housing Center will oppose it. He argued that it’s about enforcing the rules and how the developers have been profiting while ignoring their legal obligation to working-class families. He shared that “Hoboken is one of the most expensive places to live in New Jersey. Adding affordable homes here is life-changing for families who want to stay rooted in their community. This ruling sends a clear message: developers must follow the law. For more than a decade, these developers tried to avoid providing the affordable homes required by Hoboken’s regulations. This ruling is a significant step toward ensuring that everyone—not just the wealthy—can afford to call Hoboken home.”
