Dear Neighbors,
In this first newsletter of August, I want to share with you information on important matters and let you know about news affecting our community.
COVID-19 Updates
As of Sunday, 687 Hoboken residents have tested positive for COVID-19. The number of positive tests is steadily increasing, after flattening to around 590 cases for several weeks in July. Many of our positive tests are trending younger, with most of the recent positive cases coming from people who are under the age of 35 and folks that have attended summertime social gatherings. I understand wanting to enjoy the summer with friends, but I encourage you to avoid large gatherings where social distancing is unmanageable. We remain in the midst of a historic pandemic. Wearing a face mask and practicing social distancing is the key to maintaining a healthy community.
Thankfully, 619 people have recovered entirely and there have been no new COVID-19-related fatalities of Hoboken residents. Since March 30th, 29 Hoboken residents have died from COVID-19. For those of you who have endured such a difficult loss at this extraordinary time, please know that you continue to have the full support of our entire Hoboken community. We are with you. Together, we send you our prayers and extend to you our wishes for your comfort, healing, and peace.
Let’s Hear it For 5th Ward Resident Dylan Zajac!
Dylan Zajac is a 17-year-old resident of Hoboken’s 5th Ward who is making a difference. Dylan is the founder of Computers 4 People. Dylan applied for and received 501(c)(3) nonprofit status for his organization dedicated to collecting donated computers, refurbishing them, and distributing them to under-resourced individuals and communities in order to promote equity and access to opportunity. You can read more about Computers 4 People here.
So, If you have unused computers or laptops that you’d like to donate to Dylan’s 501(c)(3), you can get a tax deduction, and Dylan will refurbish the computer and donate it to folks who need digital connections now more than ever! Also, if you know someone who has available storage or office space that can be donated to Dylan’s not-for-profit, please contact Dylan here.
Way to go Dylan! Keep up the great work. You make the 5th Ward (and all of Hoboken!) proud. You can read more about Dylan and Computers 4 People here or fill out an application to donate your old, unused laptop here.
Mask Compliance (or lack thereof) and An Ordinance For Better Enforcement
On July 8th, Governor Phil Murphy announced NJ’s regulations on wearing masks in public. Executive Order No. 163 requires individuals to wear face covers in outdoor public spaces when it is not possible to socially distance and keep six feet from others, with some exceptions. You can view the exceptions here.
I continue to hear from so many of you expressing concern about how Hobokenites and our visitors fail to properly wear and use face covers. The City has been monitoring mask usage in public spaces around Hoboken and has the same concerns. Although more people have been wearing face covers in public since Governor Murphy issued Executive Order 163, unfortunately, compliance in our densely-populated Mile Square City is not what we hope for, expect, or need.
On Wednesday’s City Council meeting I will sponsor, on second reading, an ordinance addressing mask use enforcement in Hoboken. On July 29, the Council unanimously voted for this ordinance on first reading. The ordinance permits fines of up to $250 for people who fail to wear face covers in public when social distancing is not possible. Of course, face masks are not required when full social distancing is possible such as sitting in a park with six feet of space from others, or on a field doing an outdoor workout class with six feet of space from others, and no fines would be assessed in those circumstances. But many other communities that have implemented similar ordinances, permitting summons to issue for failure to comply with mask requirements, issue warnings -- not tickets — and often hand out masks with warnings. The goal here is education and compliance, not revenue generation. Other communities’ experience shows the threat of fines make warnings more effective and, for example, when a belligerent individual refuses to comply, the City’s COVID-19 task force will have another “tool in the toolbox” to help instill a “culture of compliance,” which is sadly lacking in our community.
I plan to vote “yes” for this ordinance in order to give the City all available tools to minimize the risk of transmission of COVID-19 while we work to restore some sense of normalcy in these unprecedented times.
I was interviewed by Jenna Deangelis for CBS New York about this important ordinance. You can view CBS New York’s story and my interview here.
Above all, I ask you to be considerate neighbors, whether walking, jogging, scooting, or biking in town. We’re all in this together. Wear a mask, save a life.
The Unfortunate Demise of the Office of Constituent Services -- And How to Get City Hall’s Assistance Without It
In a head-shaking move, six of my colleagues on the City Council thought it a good idea to abolish our City’s effective Office of Constituent Services in the midst of the pandemic and voted to override Mayor Bhalla’s veto of this ill-conceived ordinance a few months ago.
How effective was the Office of Constituent Affairs? In 2019 alone, the Office handled approximately 2,500 resident requests for assistance; assisted with 50 cases on behalf of tenants in coordination with Hoboken’s tenant advocate; addressed 1,050 requests through Hoboken’s 311 system, and sent out more than 6,000 emails on behalf of constituents.
During the COVID-19 pandemic this year, Caroline Caulfield, the then-Director of the Office of Constituent Services, assisted over 1,000 residents in need, and many of these cases had major life implications. Ms. Caulfield and the Office of Constituent Services built and deployed a team of 250 volunteers to feed 900 Hoboken seniors a week, connecting over 35 food-insecure families to critical grocery deliveries from the Hoboken Food Pantry, interfacing with federal and state agencies to expedite the cases of 50 residents and small business owners with their PPP applications and unemployment insurance claims, and during the month of April 2020 alone, corresponded with approximately 700 residents to assist with COVID-related inquiries.
Unfortunately, the people of Hoboken are now less well-served as a result of the City Council’s abolition of the Office of Constituent Services, which had been re-established by Mayor Bhalla in 2018, as a signature initiative of his administration, fulfilling one of his campaign promises to improve City services for residents. City Hall remains available, as always, to help, but the Office of Constituent Services is no longer an option. Residents in need of assistance should contact the department in City Hall which appears to best address the issue of concern, and that department will assign a staff member to assist. Contact information for each department can be found here. Residents may continue using the Hoboken 311 system for constituent service requests.
Helping Small Landlords Through New Jersey’s Emergency Grant Program
On August 7th, Governor Murphy announced a grant program supporting small property owners who have experienced a loss of revenue due to COVID-19. The program will reimburse lost revenue for small residential rental property owners. If you are a landlord who has experienced a loss in rental revenue between April and July 2020 you could be eligible. The reimbursement is awarded only if landlords agree to forgive tenants for outstanding back rent and late fees during the time.
Eligible landlords’ properties must:
-
Have at least 3 but no more than 10 total housing units
-
Not be seasonal or vacation rentals
-
Have current fire inspection certificates as of March 9, 2020
Only properties with low-to-moderate rent levels or rent based on up to 80% of the median income of the area are eligible for the program.
Applications open August 19th at 9 am and will be received until August 26th at 1 pm. The applications then will be reviewed and grants awarded. You can read more about the application process here.
Hoboken Relief Fund Update
The Hoboken Relief Fund is designed to help our small businesses and neighbors in need who have suffered adverse economic impact from COVID-19. I am pleased to announce that the fund has already raised over 400 thousand dollars in pledges and donations and the first checks have already been sent out to Hoboken businesses! More checks will soon follow. The average relief check to Hoboken businesses to date is $4,000. I am so honored to Co-Chair this effort and work with a remarkable Board of Trustees. All generous, tax-deductible contributions go directly to Hoboken’s small businesses and individuals that have been impacted by COVID-19. You can learn about the Hoboken Relief Fund here.
 The Fund has accomplished amazing work through numerous fundraising events. We presented a “Love Local,” online concert on May 16th hosted by Hoboken legend The Cake Boss, Buddy Valastro, and Mayor Bhalla, featuring our local talent and world-class musicians. On June 6th we hosted a Saturday Night Virtual Dance Party with DJ Cam. On June 25th we hosted the Hoboken Relief Fund Music Festival with wonderful musical acts including Yo La Tengo, Marshall Crenshaw, Jim Babjak (The Smithereens), and Hoboken’s own Julio Fernandez (Spyro Gyra) (who generously appeared in both benefit concerts!) to name just a few.
The Hoboken Relief Fund’s next event, starting September 13th, is Hoboken Girl’s Virtual Annual Wellness Crawl! You can read more about this great way to support the Hoboken Relief Fund here.
Critical Census Responses Are Needed
Despite the extraordinary circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hoboken’s 2020 Census participation rate has been solid, and as of August 16th, we are at 64.5% participation citywide. However, we still have a way to go and have fallen behind NJ’s response rate of 65.4%.
I strongly encourage all residents to respond online at www.my2020census.gov, over the phone, or by mail. While the self-response period has been extended, we need you to respond ASAP to avoid the need for in-person follow-up from the Census Bureau.
To be eligible for critical funding for our schools, roads, housing initiatives, non-profits, Medicaid, Medicare, and so much more, it is critical that all Hoboken residents complete the 2020 Census. It takes less than ten minutes to fill out the questionnaire online, but your response makes a big impact on our community. You can learn more about the importance of completing the Census here and here.
Coffee with Cohen . . . the home edition
To practice social distancing, rather than eliminate my monthly Coffee with Cohen constituent events, I turned to the internet. On Monday, July 27th, I hosted my most recent Coffee with Cohen Livestream event. Over 260 people have viewed the event, and if you haven’t seen it, you can check it out here. My favorite part of Coffee with Cohen is answering your questions, which you can submit to HobokenPhil@gmail.com, and participate, as I try to answer each question. The event is hosted on my Facebook page @Philcohenforcouncil and you can watch it here.
As long as we have this state of emergency, I plan to continue hosting the event twice a month. My next Coffee with Cohen ... the home edition is today at noon on Monday, August 17th and I hope to see you there. You can RSVP for this live-streaming event here.
You can like my City Councilman Facebook page and follow my regular Facebook posts of interest to the community here. You can also follow me on Twitter here, or Instagram here.
As always, if you’d like to reach out with any questions or concerns at any time, or if I can be of any assistance to you or your family, do not hesitate to contact me at HobokenPhil@gmail.com
Stay safe everyone!
Phil Cohen
5th Ward Councilman
City of Hoboken, New Jersey
HobokenPhil@gmail.com
(862) 234-9053
P.S. You can learn more about me and my ideas for Hoboken (as well as read this newsletter and my prior newsletters) on my website philcohen.org.
|
Paid for by Phil Cohen for Hoboken City Council |
|
|
|  | |
