In an editorial, Jersey City council-at-large candidate Kristen Zadroga Hart explains what she believes growth in the city means beyond large-scale development.
As a lifelong Jersey City resident, educator, and mother, I’ve witnessed firsthand how our city has grown. From the revitalization of the waterfront to the redevelopment of neighborhoods like Journal Square, change is everywhere.
But while the skyline rises, many residents feel left behind: priced out, pushed out, or simply forgotten.
Growth is not inherently bad. But growth without equity, oversight, and real community investment is not progress, it’s displacement.
We hear a lot about ambitious projects like Bayfront, heralded as the solution to our housing crisis. And yes, when fully built out, Bayfront promises thousands of housing units, including some deemed “affordable.”
But let’s be honest with the people of Jersey City: those units won’t be available for at least a decade, and families who need stable housing today can’t wait until 2043.
Meanwhile, entire neighborhoods are changing in the blink of an eye. Longtime residents, many on fixed incomes, are facing sky-high rents.
Small businesses that built our communities are being replaced by chains. Working families are commuting further, paying more, and getting less in return.
The community voice, the very heart of Jersey City, is being drowned out by corporate developers and political deals made behind closed doors.
We must demand a new approach to growth, one that reflects the values of the people who actually live here.
As a candidate for council-at-large, I’m calling for smart, community-centered development that balances innovation with inclusion. That starts by requiring developers to give back in real, measurable ways. We need:
Immediate developer contributions to fund parks, schools, and infrastructure. Not promises that stretch decades.
Strict enforcement of affordable housing percentages, with true affordability based on local income. Not regional AMIs that don’t reflect Jersey City’s working class.
Transparency in zoning decisions and meaningful community input, not just token hearings.
Investment in existing neighborhoods: upgrading playgrounds, fixing sidewalks, and maintaining what we already have, instead of only focusing on what’s shiny and new.
Our families can’t build a future if they’re forced to leave the city they call home. Jersey City should not become a place where only the wealthy thrive while everyone else scrambles to survive.
I’ve spent over 30 years teaching in our public schools, raising my three children here, and advocating for fairness. I’m not interested in politics as usual.
I’m running to be a voice for the people who’ve made this city great all along.
It’s time we grow in a way that reflects our values. That means development with purpose. That means lifting up neighborhoods, not selling them off.
Let’s build a Jersey City where everyone, not just developers, has a stake in the future.
Kristen Zadroga Hart is a lifelong Jersey City resident, educator, and candidate for City Council-at-Large on Team O’Dea.
