Dear Neighbors,
Happy Hallo-Weekend 🎃 Ho-Boo-Ken! 👻
Tuesday is Election Day
Election Day is this Tuesday, November 2nd. On the Hoboken ballot are races for:
- Governor
- State Senate
- State Assembly
- Hoboken Mayor
- Hoboken City Council
- Hoboken Board of Education
Voters may choose up to three candidates for the Hoboken City Council and three candidates for the Hoboken Board of Education.
This year, there are three ways to cast your ballot: In-person early voting which ends Sunday at 6 p.m.; Vote by Mail until 8 pm on Election Day; or at your polling place on Election Day. On Election Day, polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Polling locations can be found here. For more information click here.
I strongly endorse Mayor Bhalla (1-G), Councilman Jim Doyle (5-H), Joe Quintero (6-H), and Councilwoman Emily Jabbour (7-H) and you can read my endorsement here. If we want to build on Mayor Bhalla’s outstanding efforts protecting our community from COVID and make Hoboken more resilient in the face of the climate crisis we need Jim, Joe, and Emily on the City Council.
COVID-19 Updates
The rate of daily positive tests in Hoboken and New Jersey is falling. The transmission rate for NJ had been below 1.0 for several months, reflecting that for each person who gets COVID, it is spread to less than one other person. For the last few months, New Jersey’s transmission rate had been at or above 1.0, but presently, the rate now is at 0.83, a trend I hope continues.
As of October 28th, over 6 million New Jerseyans have been fully vaccinated with over 12.7 million doses administered in New Jersey. Hoboken’s recent positive test results total 5,939 cases confirmed to date. Two weeks ago there were 5,848 positive cases. Although the weather is warmer and many members of our community are vaccinated, COVID-19 remains. Please stay vigilant, practice social distancing when necessary, wash your hands, and stay safe.
In July, we celebrated an extended stretch of 60 days of having no COVID patients at Hoboken University Medical Center (HUMC). With the emergence of the Delta variant, that streak was broken in August until this month, but I am pleased to report that once again, HUMC is treating no COVID patients. If you have any reason to believe you have been exposed to COVID, please quarantine and then schedule an appointment for a COVID test at least 5-7 days after potential exposure.
Moderna and J&J Boosters
Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla and the City of Hoboken are now offering booster shots from Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.
Starting today, the City will offer all three types of booster shots through a partnership between the Hoboken Health Department and local providers, following this week's approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.) Persons eligible to receive shots may choose which vaccine they wish to receive as it is approved for folks to mix and match booster doses according to CDC guidance.
This week, the Hoboken Health Department and Hoboken Family Pharmacy have offered Moderna and Johnson & Johnson booster shots at pop-up clinics in the community rooms of Hoboken’s senior buildings with over 556 boosters administered so far!
Today, Friday, October 29th, boosters will be available at the Fox Hill 🦊🏔 Community Room at 311 13th Street from 9 am to 12 pm. To increase seniors’ access to booster shots, the pop-up clinic is open to Hoboken residents who do not live in the building.
Eligibility criteria for the Moderna booster include:
- Individuals 65 years old and older who received the full course of the Moderna vaccine at least six months ago
- Individuals age 18+ who live in long-term care settings and received their full course of the Moderna vaccine six months ago
- Age 18+ who have underlying medical conditions and received their full course of the Moderna vaccine six months ago
- Age 18+ who work or live in high-risk settings and received their full course of the Moderna vaccine six months ago
Eligibility criteria for the Johnson & Johnson booster shot include:
- Individuals must be at least 18 years old, and
- Individuals must have been vaccinated at least two months ago.
More details on eligibility for booster vaccines can be found here.
Safely Enjoying the Halloween Holiday
In Hoboken, with COVID-19 case rates declining, and New Jersey’s COVID transmission rates declining, the City has determined that Halloween festivities do not need to be canceled. Halloween’s official activities kick off with the Ragamuffin parade on Sunday at 11 am. Participants should meet at 10:15 a.m. on Washington Street between 13th Street and 14th Street for the parade.
To safely enjoy the Halloween holiday, please follow the CDC’s guidance as well as leading public health experts who encourage families to trick-or-treat outside in small groups, and for trick-or-treaters to be vaccinated, if eligible. If you plan to trick-or-treat this year, please avoid large indoor gatherings or indoor Halloween parties, as most trick-or-treaters are younger than 12 and not yet eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
- Protect those not yet eligible for vaccination by getting yourself vaccinated.
- Wear well-fitting masks over your nose and mouth if you are in public indoor settings if you are not fully vaccinated.
- Even fully vaccinated people should wear a mask in public indoor settings in communities with substantial to high transmission.
- Prioritize outdoor gatherings rather than indoor gatherings.
- Avoid crowded, poorly ventilated spaces.
- If you are sick or have symptoms, don't host or attend a gathering.
- Get tested if you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have had close contact with someone who has COVID-19.
Sign-up For Tomorrow’s HoBOOken 5K Run For the Hoboken Shelter!
The Hoboken Shelter hosts its annual Halloween 5K fun run tomorrow. Over 400 people have already registered! Registration is open until 11:59 pm tonight for the HoBOOKen 5K race at Pier A tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 30, at 10 am.
The Hoboken Shelter is a special not-for-profit in our community that offers 530 meals per day, 1,000 showers per week, and shelters 50 people per night. A fun run for a great cause.
A virtual race option is also available.
For more information and registration, click here.
Trunk or Treat with the Westside Women
Tomorrow, October 30th, the Westside Women have organized a Trunk-or-Treat event from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Fourth Street from Jackson Street to Harrison Street. The event will also feature a costume contest and promises to be lots of community fun! 👻
$2.3 Million Allocated to Hoboken for Open Space Projects
Governor Murphy’s Administration & the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection have allocated $2.3 million to Hoboken’s open space projects. Thanks to State Senator Brian P. Stack for advocating to secure these critical funds for Hoboken’s long-term open spaces and climate resilience plans.
These funds will help expand the Southwest Resiliency Park and upgrade a crucial piece of the waterfront walkway (repairing the bulkhead near 16th Street in the Hudson and reconstructing the path near Weehawken Cove) for our Rebuild by Design plan, making Hoboken more resilient. Both projects will have a transformative effect on Hoboken's open space, recreation, and flood mitigation efforts.
$1.7 million of these funds will be used for the construction of the Southwest Resiliency Park at Block 10, which provides open space amenities to residents while incorporating above and below-ground infrastructure to further reduce flooding. Mayor Bhalla has asked residents and community members to participate in the planning process for the expansion of Southwest Resiliency Park. The City and the project team of consultants will host public engagement sessions today at 60 Harrison St., the site of the temporary Southwest Pop-up Park, from 3 pm to 7 pm.
Members of the public also are invited to take part in an online survey to help the project team better understand the community's vision for the Southwest Resiliency Park's expansion. The survey can be found in English here or in Spanish here. For more information on the park’s expansion, click here.
Resilient Buildings Workshop Resources
Residents who missed the Resilient Buildings Workshop on October 13th can view the helpful presentations, full workshop recordings, and recordings of expert breakout sessions online here. In addition to giving helpful information about the City’s flood infrastructure, the presenters from North Hudson Sewerage Authority and Mayor Bhalla’s Administration addressed misinformation circulating in the community about the causes of recent flooding and described measures the City is taking and investments made to address future flooding in our community.
As part of the workshop, residents learned how to protect their homes and reduce their flood insurance rates, as well as how the North Hudson Sewerage Authority prepares for and responds to precipitation events.
Apply for NJEDA grant funding
Small businesses and nonprofit organizations seeking financial support can apply for funding through NJEDA. Small businesses and nonprofits can apply for the Small Business Lease Assistance Grant and the Small Business Improvement Grant.
- The Small Business Lease Assistance Grant is a $10 million program that provides grants to businesses entering into new or amended lease agreements with a minimum five-year term that include at least 250 square feet of street-level space. The grant funding will offset some of the annual lease payments during the next two years.
- The Small Business Improvement Grant is a $15 million program that reimburses businesses for a portion of the costs associated with improvements and/or the purchase or installation of furniture, fixtures, and equipment starting March 9, 2020.
Both grant programs are funded by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority's Main Street Recovery Program, a $100 million program that provides multiple financial assistance products aimed at supporting the growth and success of small businesses. To learn more, click here.
Rental assistance is available
Tenants who suffered financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic can claim up to $5,000 in rental assistance from the City's COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program.
Those living in Hoboken with low to moderate incomes who are unable to pay rent because of the COVID-19 pandemic can apply with their landlords through a two-part application process that protects tenant and landlord privacy.
Grant funding will be paid directly to the landlord through the program. In return, the landlord must agree that all of the tenant's debts are satisfied, including any rental arrears and late fees.
To qualify for rental assistance, tenants must:
- be a Hoboken resident
- have been current on rent through March 31, 2020
- show the need for rental assistance directly or indirectly due to the COVID-19 pandemic
- show that one or more household members qualified for unemployment or have experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced other financial hardships directly or indirectly due to the COVID-19 pandemic
- provide required documentation such as a copy of the lease or other documentation showing residence, income documentation, some form of ID, and documentation showing past due rent or an eviction notice
- have an Annual Household Income that does not exceed 80% AMI, with priority given to households whose annual income is below 50%
Even tenants who have received assistance from another program can apply. Undocumented tenants are also eligible.
Applications are due Monday, Nov. 29. Awarded funds will be based on a first-come, first-served basis until program funds run out. Applications must be complete with all required documentation from both tenants and landlords to be considered for funding. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Financial Support for Nonprofits
Hoboken's new Nonprofit Support Grant Program is designed to provide relief to Hoboken nonprofit organizations addressing specific challenges in the community, such as public health and safety, education, childcare, and economic security.
Through this program, the City will award nonprofits grants of up to $50,000 to reimburse:
- Unbudgeted expenses relating to the organization's emergency needs resulting from the devastating effects of the Coronavirus pandemic; and/or
- specific programmatic needs related to offering community programs and services specifically for pandemic response and recovery.
Applicants must be a 501(c)3 nonprofit operating in Hoboken that offers programs directly related to COVID-19 needs of Hoboken residents. COVID-19-related expenses must have been incurred between March 1, 2020, and Oct. 1, 2021. In addition to community-based health programs, eligible programs include food banks, meal delivery services, shelters, domestic abuse support services, childcare programs, and telephone or virtual mental health support services.
Interested nonprofits have until Friday, Nov. 12, to apply. Hoboken will provide a limited number of one-time Nonprofit Support Grants until program funds expire. A link to the application can be found here. For questions or program information, email HobokenNonprofitSupportGrant@hobokennj.gov. The City will disperse funds for both the rental program and the nonprofit program before year-end.
Maxwell Park Landscape Improvements are Underway
The City is making landscape improvements to Maxwell Park. Over the next two to three weeks, the contractor will plant 26 trees, various perennial shrubs, and grasses and implement other landscape upgrades. These improvements were developed after Tropical Storm Isaias in 2020 uprooted trees in the waterfront park.
The contractor will be utilizing the former Union Dry Dock site to store materials and equipment, and vehicles will be traveling between the site and Maxwell Park during construction hours.
The project is funded by the Maxwell Park Board.
More information about the project is available here. For construction updates on this and other projects, click here.
COVID and Travel
The CDC has issued travel recommendations for both vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers. All travelers leaving the State should check with the travel destination and transportation carrier (i.e., airline, cruise ship) to see if there are additional health and safety protocols or requirements, such as proof of a negative COVID-19 test within days of departure. Travelers should also check with their employers, schools, and other entities that may have quarantine policies.
The CDC recommends delaying your travel plans until you are fully vaccinated.
Domestic Travel
The CDC advises that unvaccinated individuals should get tested 1-3 days before their trip, 3-5 days after travel, and stay home and self-quarantine for 7 days after domestic travel. Vaccinated New Jersey residents are no longer required to quarantine when traveling domestically outside the state. For more information, click here for the CDC’s guidance for domestic travel.
International Travel
The CDC requires all air passengers arriving in the US from a foreign country to get tested for COVID-19 no more than 3 days before their flight departs and present their negative result or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 before boarding the flight. For more details on international travel from the CDC click here.
COVID Testing Updates
To get the City’s latest information on Hoboken’s COVID tests and hours click here.
Free Testing for Hoboken Residents and Business Employees:
605 Jackson Street (Administered by Medicine Man)
Date: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays
Time: 9 am - 12 pm Mondays, 4 - 7 pm Wednesdays, 9 am - 5 pm Fridays
Location: 605 Jackson Street
Type of testing: PCR
Who: Hoboken residents, Hoboken business employees
605 Jackson Street (Administered by PromptMD)
Date: Wednesdays, Thursdays
Time: 8 am - 12:30 pm
Location: 605 Jackson Street
Type of testing: PCR
Who: Hoboken residents, Hoboken business employees
605 Jackson Street (Administered by Riverside)
Date: Tuesdays, Saturdays
Time: 9 am - 2 pm
Location: 605 Jackson Street
Type of testing: Rapid (15 Minute), PCR
Who: Hoboken residents, Hoboken business employees
City MD
City MD at 231 Washington Street also offers COVID-19 tests. You can walk in without an appointment and get tested during regular hours.
COVID Vaccination News
As of October 28th, nearly 100% of our seniors (65 and older) have received their first dose, and 99% of our seniors are fully vaccinated. Thanks to our seniors for stepping up and protecting themselves and our community!
85% of Hoboken residents 12 and older have been provided with at least one dose, and 78% are fully vaccinated.
82% of Hoboken residents 18 and older have been provided with at least one dose, and 75% are fully vaccinated.
91% of Hoboken residents 30 and older have been provided with at least one dose, and 85% are fully vaccinated.
74% of all Hoboken residents, regardless of eligibility, have been provided with at least one dose, and 68% are fully vaccinated.
Mayor Bhalla and the Hoboken Health Department continue collaborating with local pharmacies to offer a free COVID-19 vaccine clinic for Hoboken residents and employees of Hoboken businesses at the following location and times:
Walk-in Vaccination Clinic
Where: 601 Jackson Street (Mondays) and 605 Jackson Street (Tuesdays)
Who: Hoboken residents, Hoboken business employees, Hoboken students
Day: Mondays, Tuesdays
Time: 9 am - 12 pm on Monday and 4 - 7 pm on Tuesday
Vaccine Offered: Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Moderna, and boosters
Ages: 18+ and Pfizer vaccine for ages 12+
Administered By: Medicine Man Pharmacy and Compounding
To get the City’s latest information on vaccinations and clinic schedules click here.
CVS pharmacies in Hoboken Downtown, Midtown, and Uptown locations also are supplying the COVID-19 vaccine. To track CVS’s Hoboken vaccine supply click here. Walgreens pharmacies in Hoboken Downtown and its two Uptown locations are supplying the COVID-19 vaccine. To track Walgreens Hoboken vaccine supply click here. You can also receive the vaccine at the County’s vaccination center in Kearny. Click here to make an appointment.
Coffee with Cohen . . . the home edition
Last year, to practice social distancing, rather than eliminate my monthly Coffee with Cohen events, I turned to the internet. On Monday, I hosted my 43rd Coffee with Cohen … the home edition with special guest Chris Halleron, editor and publisher of H-MAG, who discussed his time at H-MAG, why local media matters, and his insights into Hoboken’s political scene.
I also addressed the latest on COVID vaccines, COVID testing, and Moderna boosters and the City Council and Board of Education elections and my endorsements of candidates in those races. My favorite part of Coffee with Cohen is answering your questions. I addressed your questions regarding unneutered and unspayed dogs at dog runs, the NJ Dept of Health’s Docket Website, the availability of Visitor Parking Permits, and much, much more. Over 250 people have watched this event and you can check it out here.
My next Coffee with Cohen event will be on Monday, November 15th at noon. I hope to see you there. Do you have any questions? Please send them to HobokenPhil@gmail.com as I try to address each one. These events are hosted on my Facebook page Philcohenforcouncil and you can watch them here.
You can also follow me on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, or if I can be of assistance to you or your family, please do not hesitate to contact me at HobokenPhil@gmail.com.
Phil Cohen
5th Ward Councilman
City of Hoboken
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.
