Hudson County Commissioner Bill O’Dea (D-2) is coming out in favor of the 150 Bay St. project downtown, which will include 25 percent affordable and workforce housing, and is asking other Jersey City mayoral hopefuls to do the same.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Housing affordability is the biggest issue facing Jersey City, and in order to solve it we need to support development projects that deliver the affordable housing our city needs,” he said in a statement.
“No proposed project is ever perfect, and as Mayor I would mandate a 20% affordable housing set aside in exchange for tax incentives. But as it stands now with the city’s current Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance and other housing policies in place, this project fits the overall vision of making our city more affordable and I believe that any candidate who is serious about the housing issue should publicly support it.”
O’Dea’s stance in favor of the 150 Bay Street project fits with his push for a more affordable Jersey City, which he has outlined throughout his mayoral campaign.
He has also taken other candidates to task for failing on affordable housing, including the fact that when Jim McGreevey was mayor of Woodbridge he failed to build any affordable housing despite having a state mandate to create 1,351 affordable units (though McGreevey has disputed this claim).
“Building affordable housing is critical in all parts of Jersey City, but it’s especially important Downtown where we have the strongest access to public transportation and job opportunities anywhere in the city,” added Dan Israel, O’Dea’s Ward E council candidate.
“By supporting developments like 150 Bay Street that include truly affordable housing we can create opportunities for more residents to live here and enjoy everything that makes Downtown Jersey City one of the most in-demand places in the region.”
Additionally, O’Dea and Israel pledged to work with community groups and the developer to address resident concerns related to road infrastructure in the vicinity of the project, including improvements to streets, sidewalks, signage and other necessary work.
The building proposal includes a 50-story apartment building, potentially a new public elementary school, approximately 100 homes for local artists, and open space.
The veteran county commissioner’s remarks come shortly after Better Block New Jersey, a continuing political committee, released Jersey City mayoral candidates response surveys on housing, transit, and street safety, as well as public plazas and parks.
Six of the seven mayoral hopefuls responded, with Kalki Jayne-Rose being the only exception, and Ward E Councilman James Solomon was the sole candidate who opposed 150 Bay St.
While he said he supports “upzoning an existing high-density area,” like the one he supported at 72 Montgomery St., he is not sold on the current 150 Bay St. plan.
” … The current 150 Bay St proposal has significant flaws. The developer is not committing to deeding the school to Jersey City Public Schools at no cost, or to covering the costs of the school build out. Instead he is demanding JCPS pay for those costs, despite JCPS having publicly stated they do not have the funds for either,” he wrote.
“Additionally, even though pre-K suitable classrooms are by far the most needed space for schools in downtown JC, it is unlikely that the current configuration could be used for pre-K given strict state requirements. Therefore, it is much more accurate to say that Jersey City is not receiving a public school in this current proposal – instead we are receiving a space that could be a K-5 school when future public funding is received.”
Jersey City needs more development for people who can afford. to live here without having to be subsided by others !