LETTER: Hoboken Councilman Russo responds to Mayor Bhalla’s State of the City

In a letter to the editor, Hoboken 3rd Ward Councilman Mike Russo responds to Mayor Ravi Bhalla’s fifth State of the City Address delivered Tuesday evening.

Dear Editor,

As a representative of Hoboken residents in the City’s 3rd Ward, I am happy to see many of our residents’ priorities and concerns addressed in the State of the City, including the massive overhaul planned for the Hoboken Housing Authority (HHA) campus.

I currently serve as a commissioner on the HHA, and my fellow commissioners and I have devoted countless hours to this plan. Now we finally see it on the cusp of being realized.

This plan is significant because we know that, as a city, we are only as good as our word to each other.

By following through, we are showing residents that there ought to be a baseline of dignity, a new standard for accessibility, and absolutely zero displacement of any campus residents.

In addition to that, we’re happy to be moving forward with the planned addition of hundreds of new affordable housing units downtown; it shows that we’re committed to economic equity here in Hoboken.

I also support the inclusion of a new wave of middle-class, moderate-income units in our new developments, as well as increased workforce and veterans’ housing; we need to make sure the people who serve Hoboken can afford to live in Hoboken.

I have also committed myself fully to Recreation and Parks expansion while on City Council, and I am grateful for the partnership of the mayor and my other council colleagues in our shared vision.

Together, we have delivered for residents in revolutionary ways: from the resiliency park next to 7 Seventy House with its impressive flood-mitigating detention basin, to the new adjacent rec center, playground, and open space that’s been used for countless community events already.

I’m a fighter for accessibility, and together we’ll keep expanding ADA-compliant and sensory-friendly options in our park spaces.

I also know better than most people how critical it is to make our waterfront open and fun for the public; multiple generations of Russos serving this city have committed themselves to making a revitalized waterfront a reality, and I will keep fighting until it’s done.

That said, there is room to grow – and I would have liked to see the mayor address some additional, critical concerns that residents have.

First, we need to put more resources into supporting our small businesses and Hoboken entrepreneurs. Pandemic pain combined with increasing commercial rental prices are pushing long-time Hoboken small business owners out.

City of Saints Coffee, Mikie Squared … the list goes on. And those are just recent ones.

We know our city has a unique, historic character, and we want to preserve our community’s ability to make a living within our city’s borders as much as possible.

Bringing back and expanding small business grants, as well as streamlining the often arduous process required for new businesses to open, would be a boon for building up our neighborhoods, and a net positive on the balance sheet. It’s a no-brainer.

Second: health. As a health professional, I know how multi-faceted this one word can be—but it boils down to a few key priorities. The rat problem might not be a sexy thing to talk about, but it’s a public health travesty and needs to be fixed as soon as possible.

We also need to continue to bolster CarePoint in their not-for-profit status, and foster the partnership with Hudson Regional Health, to double down on ensuring Hoboken residents have first-class care locally.

Further, increased mental health programming for the entire community; I’m talking yoga, I’m talking meditation, I’m talking about sharing groups.

These initiatives are inexpensive, and in a time where loneliness is pervasive across our city, state, and country, doing this across the board will bring our community together.

Third: transportation and safety. These two issues are closely intertwined. I periodically send resident surveys out to my email list. The amount of responses I get about parking and e-bikes is staggering. This is just a sample from real residents:

– ‘Difficulty parking so cannot really shop in town’
– ‘E-bike delivery people need to be given legible tags so we can report them when they do their crazy thing on our streets’
– ‘I had to cancel my doctor’s appointment because the parking was taken’
– ‘The parklets take up way too much space’
– ‘Need more drivers for senior rides’

It is time we handle these issues with more resident parking inventory and flexibility for existing space. We just passed a true “Tests and Vests” e-bike regulation ordinance — now we need to enforce it.

Our residents are also asking for more public community ride-sharing options and it’s time we deliver. Additionally, re-examining parklet usage will have a dual purpose of giving colonies of rats less places to eat and hide out.

And fourth: education. We’re blessed to have an incredibly diverse set of learning options for our children.

We should aggressively support, through grants and other means, public schools, fantastic charter schools like HoLa, HCS, and Elysian, private and parochial schools, and nonprofits like the Hoboken Public Education Foundation.

The city can and should be a steadfast partner to these committed organizations; they are made up of parents, professionals, and community members who have our children’s safety and best interests at heart.

As Hoboken’s government, we must always welcome them to our table and listen to their input.

I am confident that when we work together, Hoboken residents win.