Dear Neighbors,
With our trees in bloom and the daffodils emerging on the 11th Street islands, I write to let you know the latest in Hoboken.
COVID-19 Updates
The daily number of positive tests in Hoboken has slowed somewhat this past week, but New Jersey’s positive case rates continue to stay at levels comparable to what we witnessed last spring. Given these ongoing concerns, Governor Murphy has extended New Jersey’s State of Emergency for another 30 days.
Hoboken’s recent positive test results include 23 on April 6th, 55 on the 7th, and 30 on April 8th, 14 on April 9th, 9 on April 10th, and 17 on April 11th for a total of 4,704 cases confirmed to date. Two weeks ago there were 4,398 positive cases. This jump in positive cases remains troubling. Although the weather is getting warmer and more members of our community are being vaccinated, COVID-19 remains a real threat. Please remain vigilant. Wear your mask, social distance when necessary, and be safe.
In July we celebrated the landmark of having no COVID patients at Hoboken University Medical Center (HUMC). However, we now have 17 COVID patients at HUMC, including 3 Hoboken residents.
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. Please remember that wearing a face mask (or a double-mask as the CDC recommends), practicing social distancing, and avoiding indoor gatherings beyond household members is the key to keeping our community healthy and safe.
Sadly, the City was notified that there was one additional COVID-19 related death in our community, now up to 50 deaths, including a resident in his mid-70s. We also learned of a very sad COVID-19 death that hit our community hard last week -- Frank Volpe, who had been battling complications of COVID-19 for the past two months. Napoli’s and its owner Frank Volpe have been fixtures in the 5th Ward and the 1100 block of Washington Street for years. I remember when Napoli’s opened and how it quickly became a staple in our business district.
Frankie was a big presence. He seemed to be always working and taking care of the restaurant, which became among the most popular in our neighborhood. Frankie was always quick to volunteer and pitch in for our community. That’s why it was shocking to learn last week that this young, strong man had been fighting COVID for months and had died.
Frankie is survived by his young sons and his beloved wife Jocelyn. Frankie leaves his family and our community far too soon. If you would like to make a contribution to a GoFundMe page supporting his family, you can do so here.
Frank Volpe and His Family
COVID Testing
To get the City’s latest information on Hoboken’s test appointments and hours click here.
Free Testing for Hoboken Residents Only:
Riverside Medical (351 16th Street)
Dates: Mondays - Fridays
Time: 8 am – 3 pm
Location: 351 16th Street (Bijou Properties location)
Type of testing: Rapid 15 minute test (Abbott ID Now), and PCR
Who: Hoboken residents only
(appointments typically released online for the following week on Wednesdays)
Riverside Medical Group patients should call their Riverside primary care office to schedule a COVID test and should not use the online sign-up form. Patients without a vehicle should enter the test facility on Clinton between 15th and 16th Streets. Those driving should enter on 16th street between Clinton and Grand.
Free Testing for Hoboken Residents and Business Employees:
PromptMD (Jackson St. Gym, 605 Jackson St.)
Dates: Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays
Time: 8 am - 3 pm
Location: 605 Jackson Street
Type of testing: PCR
Who: Hoboken residents and Hoboken business employees
Results are typically provided through Prompt MD within 48-72 hours.
Medicine Man (605 Jackson Street)
Date: Wednesdays and Saturdays
Time: 2 - 7 pm (Wednesdays), 9 am - 1 pm (Saturdays)
Location: 605 Jackson Street (updated location)
Type of testing: PCR
Who: Hoboken residents, Hoboken business employees
New Jersey Department of Health (221 Jackson Street)
Date: Friday (April 23rd)
Time: 1 pm – 7 pm
Location: 221 Jackson Street (Hoboken Housing Authority, Community Room)
Who: Hudson County residents, Hoboken business employees
Type of testing: PCR
No appointment needed, testing provided on a first-come, first-served basis.
Local Private COVID Test Facilities.
In addition to Hoboken’s four free, public COVID-19 facilities, you can visit City MD at 231 Washington Street or PromptMD at 309 1st Street, and walk in without an appointment to get your COVID-19 test at their private facilities. To be safe, you should call ahead to confirm test availability.
Vaccination News
Our vaccine operations are being expanded due to increased allocations from the State of New Jersey and Hudson County. Each week, we distribute 1,170 doses of Pfizer vaccines and complete the second doses of Moderna vaccines. As eligibility increases in New Jersey, the Mayor Bhalla administration continues to campaign for a greater supply from the State and County.
Hoboken received 500 first-dose vaccines per week from the State at the beginning of the vaccination process. So, this supply of 1,170 first-doses is making a big impact!
I got my first vaccine injection at HUMC last week, and everything went smoothly. Hoboken’s hard-working Director of Health and Human Services Leo Pellegrini stopped by and told me that we have really picked up the pace of daily vaccinations. Here’s a picture of me getting my vaccine (I didn’t feel a thing)!
I am not throwing away my shot! -- Lin Manuel Miranda
As of April 10th, the Hoboken Health Department and Carepoint have administered 5,954 total vaccinations, which include 1,922-second doses as well as 98 Johnson & Johnson doses. As of last Monday, 3,396 total doses were administered by Hudson County to Hoboken residents, which include 2,195 first doses and 1,201-second doses. Riverside Medical Group’s location in Hoboken has administered 4,069 first-doses and nearly 3,000-second doses.
The Hoboken Health Department, partnering with Hoboken Family Pharmacy, recently received a Johnson & Johnson supply from the State of New Jersey and began vaccinating homebound residents last week. While the City has temporarily suspended the Johnson & Johnson home vaccination program at this time, it continues assisting homebound seniors with making appointments and arranging for their vaccinations at HUMC.
Additional vaccine appointments periodically become available at Hudson County's Kearny site for eligible residents. Check for appointment availability and registration here.
CVS pharmacies Midtown and Uptown Hoboken locations are now supplying the COVID-19 vaccine by appointment. To track CVS’s Hoboken vaccine supply click here. For folks who are eligible for vaccination but have yet to be scheduled, we ask you to please remain patient but know the pace is picking up. To get the City’s latest information on vaccinations, including how to pre-register for your vaccination, click here.
Starting Monday, All Hoboken Residents 16 and Older are Eligible for Vaccines
Monday is a big day for New Jersey residents! Governor Phil Murphy announced that starting on the 19th, all NJ residents 16 and up can be vaccinated. Residents can pre-register here to receive the vaccine through the Hoboken Health Department at the Hoboken University Medical Center.
Big Progress on Identifying a New Home for the City’s DPW Garage in the North End
I am happy to report that at the April 7 City Council meeting the Council resoundingly voted 7-1 (with only Councilwoman Fisher opposing) to designate Bijou Properties as the redevelopment agent of the City Block it owns at 1500 Clinton Street. This vote paves the way for Bijou Properties to formulate a detailed plan for a residential development including a DPW garage and City Hall Annex at 16th Street, opposite the PSE&G substation and near the North Hudson Sewerage Authority.
Thanks to Mayor Bhalla and his administration for committing to me and to the residents of the 5th Ward to find a more appropriate location to transfer the City’s DPW garage from its current location at Newark and Observer to a new location in the North End (not at 13th and Jefferson, across from the Northwest Resiliency Park, in an established residential neighborhood). You can read Mayor Bhalla’s April 7 correspondence to the City Council here which states his clear commitment to me and the 5th Ward to expedite the necessary work with Bijou Properties to fast-track relocating the DPW garage by September 2022.
Thanks, especially, to the residents of 1100 Adams, 1200 Grand, and 1300 Grand for your advocacy and vocal support which was instrumental in letting the Mayor and City Council know the importance of keeping the Bijou Properties project on track so the City can timely occupy a new DPW garage on 16th Street.
This was a critical step forward that paved the way to settling the Monarch litigation, allowing the City to transfer the Monarch development off the 15th Street Piers to a new development at Observer and Newark, as well as deliver 1.4 acres of parkland at 8th and Monroe to the City. Without this key vote allowing the DPW garage to move to 16th Street, the Monarch settlement would have been placed in peril, and we avoided a major blow to residents and activists alike who fought for years to protect our Hudson River piers from large-scale residential development.
Introduction of the 2021 Budget -- With A 0.0 tax increase!
I applaud Mayor Bhalla, Business Director Jason Freeman, and the Mayor’s Administration for introducing last week to the City Council a balanced budget with a 0.0% tax increase including a slight reduction in the annual tax rate, that cuts spending where appropriate, ensuring that taxpayers get real tax relief at a time they most need it. You can see a copy of the City’s budget introduction here.
Despite substantial shortfalls caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which includes $6.4 million in lost revenue from various sources, Director Freeman presented a balanced budget that includes funding for critical projects including:
- water main replacements,
- repaving roads and
- advancing Vision Zero improvements,
- upgrading City parks, and
- acquiring additional open space.
The budget introduced uses $7 million allocated to Hoboken from the American Rescue Plan to cover the costs and revenue loss caused by the pandemic.
This week I and the members of the Finance Committee hosted budget hearings on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. Wednesday we heard from the Office of the City Clerk, the Hoboken Water Utility and the Department of Administration & Finance, and the Department of Environmental Services. You can watch that hearing here and view the presentation here. Thursday we heard from the Departments of Community Development, Health & Human Services, and the Office of Corporation Counsel. You can see that hearing here and view the presentation here. On Monday, our hearings conclude with presentations by the Departments of Public Safety, Police Division and Fire Division, and the Department of Transportation and Parking. You can observe and participate in that hearing here at 6 pm Monday.
Millions of Dollars in Federal Aid Are Coming for Hoboken Businesses, Not-for-Profits, and Renters in Need of Assistance!
Along with the Mayor’s budget introduction, the Bhalla administration announced that millions of dollars of additional federal aid will be available in the form of grants to our small businesses, not-for-profits, and residents who require rent relief. Funding criteria and online guidance for how this grant funding will be established and administered should be released by June 15th -- so stay tuned! Thanks to President Biden, Senator Booker, Senator Menendez, Governor Murphy, and Congressman Sires for supporting the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 which is funding these grants that will be a real “game-changer”.
CDBG and CDBG-CV Funding Opportunities for Local Community Groups
Applications for Community Development Block Grants (CDBGs) Program Year 2021 are being accepted by the City of Hoboken to provide funding for eligible programs and projects funded by public agencies or not-for-profit organizations. Local community groups that provide quantifiable benefits to low and moderate-income residents are encouraged to apply.
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development is making $1,072,812 available for Hoboken in 2021. 15% of these funds are limited to Public Service Funding and available to providers of healthcare, family planning, child care, after-school programming, and assistance to the homeless, among others. The City’s Public Facility Funding will receive $911,890.20 toward capital improvements benefiting low to moderate-income residents.
Hoboken is also accepting applications for CDBG-CV-3 funds, provided through the CARES Act, from organizations providing CDBG-eligible projects that will prevent, prepare for, and/or deal with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Approximately $530,000 of the City's CDBG-CV funds are available for application, with no limit on the percentage dedicated to Public Service Funding. In order to identify the needs of low and moderate-income residents within Program Year 2021, the City is hosting a community meeting on Thursday, April 22 at 4:00 pm via Zoom. More information on the City’s CDBG program and meeting links for the 4/22 community meeting are available here.
Applications for CDBG and CDBG-CV funds are due by 4:00 PM on Monday, May 3, 2021, with funds becoming available for the selected applications as early as July 1, 2021. Interested applicants can request an application from Marc Leckington via email at mleckington@triadincorporated.com or by phone at 856-481-7040. All questions should be directed via email or phone to Mr. Leckington during business hours.
Big Southwest Resiliency Park News!
Thanks to Mayor Bhalla and his administration for negotiating a fair settlement of the long-standing dispute between the City and Academy Bus that will result in doubling the size of the Southwest Resiliency Park. Mayor Bhalla announced an agreement with Academy Bus that will allow Hoboken to acquire from Academy “Block 10,” which sits adjacent to the current Southwest Resiliency Park, for $11 million.
Financed by $1 million of grant funding from Green Acres, $900,000 of grant funding from Hudson County’s Open Space Trust Fund, and the balance from the Municipal Open Space Trust fund (money dedicated to the acquisition and development of open space in Hoboken), the acquisition will not impact the City’s 2021 municipal budget. The City will also apply a previously approved bond ordinance of $4.9 million towards acquiring the Southwest Resiliency Park, as well as related design and soft costs necessary for this project.
A temporary pop-up park will be activated using equipment from the former Northwest pop-up park as the City designs a permanent resiliency park with community input. Further, the agreement enables Academy to expand its currently authorized density on its property adjacent to Southwest Resiliency Park by 25 residential units, including 5 affordable units, without increasing the permitted height or bulk of the envelope of its residential project.
On April 7, the City Council approved on first reading a new bond ordinance totaling $8.1 million to acquire Block 10. 
Standing with the Asian American and Pacific Islander (“AAPI”) Community Against Hate, Harassment, and Violence
Violence and hatred against Asians have no place in this world and hate has no place in our City. As Mayor Bhalla declared by Executive Order on his first day in office in 2018, Hoboken is a Fair and Welcoming City that values each resident. We must do the work to recognize and honor the equality, respect, and dignity of every member of our community. Members of Hoboken’s AAPI community contribute to Hoboken’s beautiful richness, diversity, and character. Indeed, members of our AAPI community serve as Hoboken’s trusted elected leaders and public servants including as Trustees on the Board of Education and the Mayor of our City.
Not only does Hoboken treasure its AAPI residents, but many of Hoboken’s valued and beloved businesses are owned and operated by members of the AAPI community. For example, many restaurants, coffee shops, beauty parlors, fitness and health establishments, medical offices, florists, dog groomers, and dry cleaners are owned and operated by members of the AAPI community and serve all Hobokenites. The Hoboken Girl has identified a list of Asian-owned Hoboken businesses we should all support and remind them how we appreciate and value them.
In response to the recent acts of violence and harassment directed against members of the AAPI community in the United States in the past weeks and months, I was proud to introduce with Councilwoman Emily Jabbour, a resolution standing in solidarity with Hoboken’s AAPI community at our April 7 City Council meeting.
I thank Councilwoman Jabbour for co-sponsoring the resolution and I thank my City Council colleagues who unanimously supported the resolution affirming that anti-Asian racism, hate, harassment, and violence have no home in Hoboken, and we stand shoulder to shoulder with the members of the AAPI community in our City, County, State, and Nation. You can read the resolution 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, I hosted my most recent Coffee with Cohen. Already, over 400 people have viewed the event where I welcomed a special guest, Irene Borngraeber, Executive Director of the Liberty Humane Society, who addressed the shelter’s mission of fostering a community of compassion, respect, and providing animals in need with a loving home. Irene discussed Liberty Humane’s contract with the City to provide 24/7 animal response services to our community and much more about animal welfare and this wonderful not-for-profit that you can watch here.
My favorite part of Coffee with Cohen is answering your questions. This week you asked about fixing a deep pothole on Bloomfield Street and sought advice on what to do about a neighbor with a noisy vent affecting your ability to enjoy your backyard. You can check it out here.
Do you have questions you would like me to address at my next event? Send them to me at HobokenPhil@gmail.com as I try to answer each one. The event will be hosted on my Facebook page @Philcohenforcouncil and you can watch it here. My next Coffee with Cohen event will be on Monday, April 29th at noon and I hope to see you there.
You can follow me on Twitter at @philiphcohen here on Facebook here or Instagram here. 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.
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.
