The Jersey City Planning Board approved a 10 percent affordable housing proposal in Journal Square, which impacts a smaller area and allows more units than initially thought, at last night’s meeting.
By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View
Ward C Councilman Rich Boggiano initiated the push for affordable housing in his district, which includes Journal Square, and requested for the measure to be tabled.
“Legislation shouldn’t be rushed. It’s important we get it right. I am asking that the planning board carry this item to the next planning board meeting … so that I can meet with city planning to review their final changes in order to ensure they meet the original intent of my legislation,” he began.
“The council will determine whether or not to adopt amendments. There is a very strict timeline to do that. It’s 45 days from when it was sent to us. We have to act,” Board attorney Santo Alampi replied.
Boggiano said the council did not have adequate time to discuss the changes, to which Alampi said they have to vote on the resolution by June 22nd.
Ward D Councilman Yousef Saleh said the council could amend the measure further before voting on it if need be, to which Alampi reiterated his position.
Saleh told Planning Director Tanya Marione they’d like to meet with her first, to which she said she’d be open to that, but wasn’t sure what the purpose would be.
“This is going on for six months. I’m tired of it. We need affordable housing,” Boggiano declared.
Marione then explained the process has been lengthy, with the council first sending it to the planning board back in September.
She noted that, if required to provide a unit, a developer must be accommodated by being allowed to build a market unit to offset the cost. Marione said the state law known as UHAC requires accommodating developers for building affordable housing.
“Our recommendation is to use square footage as an accommodation,” she explained, noting that they had produced the floor amendment on Monday.
She noted Boggiano wanted exemptions for certain zones like Bergen Square from their new affordable housing requirement.
“The council may not agree. Our recommendations would be to have no exemptions,” Marione explained.
She continued that they’re recommending square footage instead of adding stories – which was Boggiano’s proposal – to legally compensate developers for building affordable housing.
Supervising Planner Matt Ward noted certain developments will be allowed to increase their square footage by exceeding the maximum height limit by 20 stories at the most. But some zones in the neighborhood only allow 10 stories.
Planner Liz Opper explained that Tower One of Journal Squared has 53 stories and 540 units, none of which are affordable. The new plan would require some affordable housing units. For example, adding a 20-story cap would lead to 78 affordable units being created.
In addition, 499 Summit St. is under construction at 53 stories and 605 units with no affordable housing units. Here, the developer would be allowed to create 220 more units in exchange for providing 83 affordable housing units.
“It’s a balancing game of how many stories you get and how many affordable housing units you get,” Opper noted.
Marione said they recommend full exemptions for many zones or no exemptions for any zones.
“We just want it to be clean. It would be up to the city council to determine those exemptions,” she noted.
During the public comment period, attorney Charles Harrington said he represents several property owners in Journal Square.
“The planning board’s proposal … can create opportunities. We think it’s a little bit light on the accommodations. We don’t believe the community’s proposal will create the opportunities they want,” he argued.
“Much of the development won’t be able to take account of those added stories … On a small-scale project, you’re not giving an incentive to affordable housing,” Planning Consultant Charles Heydt argued.
“If those square footage accommodations were increased, it would result in more realistic opportunities.”
Journal Square Community Association Affordable Housing Task Force member and advocate Katie Brennan came out in support of the square footage proposal, noting the passage of the Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance (IZO) to increase affordable housing didn’t work since Journal Square was exempt as a redevelopment zone.
Thus, there are few new affordable housing units in the skyscrapers that are beginning to dominate the area.
“We worked for two years and worked with planning, which has been extremely patient,” Brennan said.
“We got more than we bargained for,” JSQCA Affordable Housing Task Force Chair Michael Ehrmann said about their proposal. The group as a whole came out in favor of the updated plan last week.
JSQCA Vice President Christopher Lamm said he meets with many developers and has seen 50 proposed site plans, but few include affordable housing units, which is why he deems the current situation “an affordable housing crisis” and wanted as many zones includes as possible.
“We fully endorse this much needed amendment,” JSQCA President Tom Zuppa added.
“Most of the time, we’re fighting density. We do want affordable housing, but not at the risk of ruining neighborhoods. But we also need affordable housing,” Ward C Council Aide Pam Andes said.
Boggiano said he wanted Zones 4 and 4A removed before he talked about gentrification.
“I’m sick and tired of it. I’m tired of the developers. You’re not coming into my neighborhood! It’s over! They’re not coming into where there’s one- and two-family homes anymore. They’re chasing everyone out of this damn city,” he exclaimed to applause.
Marione argued it’s difficult to create affordable housing mandates that don’t discourage private development.
“City planning further states that it’s either exempt everything or include everything,” Alampi noted for clarification.
“Correct,” she said.
Commissioner Darlene Green made a motion to adopt the city planning department’s proposal that had zero zone exemptions.
“I vote aye for all zones. That you everyone to coming down. That’s what we need, more affordable housing,” Commissioner David Cruz said.
Acting Board Chair Vidya Gangadin noted she supported it and hoped the council would follow suit.
The Jersey City Planning Board passed it 5-0 (four commissioners were absent) to applause.