A number of Jersey City elected leaders joined labor union 32BJ SEI in a downtown rally yesterday where they made it a point to call out luxury developers over affordability.
By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View
“We need to make sure people can maintain their families, that they can raise them with dignity and pride, and we need to make sure Jersey City is a city for all,” 32BJ SEIU New Jersey State Director Anna Marie Hill exclaimed to the crowd of dozens of protesters.
“Workers are standing up and fighting … There is misdevelopment. The CEOs of these companies are making 700 times what the average worker makes per hour. Rents have continued to rise: They have gone up 50 percent, and workers haven’t seen any of that.”
She further stated that many workers have to commute quite a distance to work since they cannot afford to live in Jersey City.
To reverse Jersey City’s and the state’s affordability crisis, 32BJ is pushing the state legislature to pass bill (A4872/S3699) to prohibit landlord collusion through AI-powered rent-fixing algorithms such as RealPage.
The workers who are porters, concierges, and doormen and women are paid the state’s minimum wage, $15.13 an hour, or just pennies above it, and receive meager benefits.
These workers keep safe and clean luxury buildings owned by Kushner Real Estate, Ironstate Properties, Brookfield Corporation, and Veris Residential.
Former Gov. Jim McGreevey, a mayoral candidate, said “there’s something radically wrong” about this situation and advocated “for a fair’s day wage for a fair’s day work.”
“This battle is as old as America. This battle is a battle for fairness, equity, and the American Dream!” McGreevey declared.
“This is quintessentially the American struggle for fairness, for decency, and opportunity. Si se puede (Yes we can)!”
Hudson County Commissioner Bill O’Dea (D-2), another mayoral candidate, noted he has stood with 32BJ many times on picket lines to fight for wage increases and improved benefits.
“We continue that fight,” he stated.
O’Dea noted many of the luxury developers they are fighting received long-term tax abatements, so their taxes are very modest. He also said $60,000 a year is a living wage in the city is difficult for many.
“They work together in collusion to try to fix rent prices and hurt people and destroy the opportunity to have affordable housing, I’m here to stand with you today. I will stand with you tomorrow whether it’s hot or cold: Let’s never stop fighting!” he said to applause.
Mayor Steven Fulop, a Democratic candidate for governor, explained that 32BJ supported his first campaign for mayor and they have had a strong working relationship ever since. Assemblywoman Jessica Ramirez (D-32) translated his remarks into Spanish
“I worked with you to set the stage for the living wage ordinance. The first one came here in Jersey City, working hand in hand with your leadership, to make Jersey City an example of what could be. Jersey City should do more,” he began.
“We should do more to represent you, and make the disparity between the haves and the people working day in and day out um isn’t as wide as it is today. We want to make sure you continue to have a place to call home here. It’s important to hold these developers accountable, and we’ll work closely with 32BJ to do just that.”
Hudson County Executive Craig Guy noted he and his predecessor, Tom DeGise – who he served as chief of staff – supported SEIU 32 BJ by walking on a picket line during a lightning storm.
“If they can do it in New York and have SEIU in their buildings over there, why in God’s name can’t they have them over here in Jersey City?” he asked to shouts of agreement.
“I noticed some legislation pending down in the state. We all have to use the bully pulpit and advocate for that legislation … All these landlords compare notes, and they can all figure out how much rent they should be charging and how much the other developers should be charging/ They’re using the millions of dollars they’re making to put it on your backs.”
From J. Owen Grundy Park on the waterfront, the group marched past Exchange Place to an Ironstate building at 70 Columbus Drive, chanting slogans that mayoral candidate Mussab Ali helped lead.
“We are taking over this corner! We’re making sure Jersey City is a city for all! The CEOs are making millions and millions of dollars, and the workers are barely making minimum wage!” Hill exclaimed.
“Boo!” the crowd exclaimed.
“They need to hear you up there!” Ward E Jersey City Councilman James Solomon, who is also running for mayor, exclaimed to cheers.
“In Jersey City, real estate companies are making millions and billions, and the people who work are having trouble paying rent and putting food on the table. That’s not right! You can’t fix the rent anymore! You can’t use an algorithm and artificial intelligence to make people pay more so the CEOs can pocket more!” Solomon said.
Ramirez also said she supported the union taking a stand for what’s right.
“We’re standing up for fairness and dignity for the workers who keep our buildings clean. We’re here to demand, to demand, better wages, better benefits, and better treatment,” she noted.
She and Solomon were the only electeds who stayed for the march in the frigid weather.
According to the SEIU, due to luxury building development and rent-fixing algorithms, Jersey City has become one of the most unaffordable places to live in the country.
Rents rank second highest in the country. 41 percent of city residents are rent-burdened and spend more than 30% of their income on rent.
The developers in question own nearly 10,000 apartment units combined, totaling about a third of the large luxury rentals built in Jersey City since the turn of the century.
If there were no luxury housing being built there would be no housing being built in Jersey City.