Dear Neighbors,
Hoboken is buzzing in May. Here's what's going on.
Advocating for Hoboken Tenants
Last week, Mayor Bhalla wrote SR Prime Management, LLC (“SR Prime”), the Ballpark apartments’ management company, about his Administration's serious concerns about illegal rent hikes.
Ballpark tenants have also raised with me serious concerns about other conditions including: substantial rent increases for parking; inadequate maintenance of the building including: an elevator that has been out of service for many months, failing to properly maintain common elements, including hallways, building landscaping, or parking areas, and failing to properly to store and dispose of trash.
This week, I reached out to SR Prime sharing my concerns on behalf of my constituents about illegal rent hikes as well as the unacceptable conditions at The Ballpark described above. I hope and expect that SR Prime will promptly respond and address my serious concerns. You can read my correspondence here.
Continuing Critical Water Main Replacements
Many have asked me about the City’s progress on updating our water main infrastructure. I am pleased to see this summer the City plans to replace 1.4 miles of water mains, including at Grand St., 7th St., Adams St., 8th St., Madison St., Jefferson St., Park Ave., and Castle Point Terr. This will build on the City's progress of replacing 4.78 miles of water mains since 2018, or approximately 11.6 percent of our water main system. On the Council, I have proudly supported the administration’s efforts to upgrade our water main system and allocated this critical funding to help make it a reality.”
The City plans to replace an additional 5 miles of water mains by 2034, or 25% of our water mains. This rate of replacement is double the American Water Works Association's recommendation for system repairs. For more information on the City's water main infrastructure upgrades, please visit here.
Summer Parks and Concert Series Events
Summer in the City is a time for our special Concerts in the Park series. These evening outdoor concerts begin Thursday, June 1st, at Sinatra Park with a show featuring Broadway hits. Families love Movies under the Stars. These movies under the stars start on June 14th with screenings beginning at 9 pm in June and July and at 8 pm in August. Residents are encouraged to bring a picnic, blanket, or low-back chair.
Stay fit this summer with the Fitness in the Park program hosted at several of our local parks including our wonderful new athletic field at 12th and Jefferson which is making the 5th Ward (and all of Hoboken) an even better place to live, work and raise a family.
Check out the City’s full schedule of summer fun here.
Hoboken Artists’ Studio Tour
Hoboken has a vibrant artist community that I am committed to support, promote, and protect. A special annual event celebrating our artists is the Hoboken Spring Artists' Studio Tour. This special event is coming June 4th from Noon to 6 pm. This free, citywide walking tour is an excellent opportunity for residents to get a glimpse into the creative process through tours of artists' studios, galleries, and group exhibitions.
Are you an artist who wants to participate in the tour? Please reach out to Cultural Affairs Administrator Geri Fallo at gfallo@hobokennj.gov. Artists of all mediums and styles are welcome to showcase the richness and diversity of Hoboken's artist community. Mark your calendars for this special day.
Through the Windows Art Installations
As your Councilman and as a Trustee of the Hoboken Business Alliance, I was thrilled to participate in the opening ceremony welcoming the Through the Windows event back to Hoboken for 2023. This year, 90 businesses are featuring the work of more than 75 extraordinary local artists.
Through the Windows promotes and supports Hoboken’s thriving local business community as well as the world-class and emerging artists that call our city home.
I encourage everyone to visit our neighborhood businesses and be inspired by the artists’ creations. Look for a red dot on the sidewalk marking a participating business with art featured in their store windows!
Welcoming Through the Windows at Hair Cult, a Great 5th Ward Business
Stomping Out Lantern Flies
The Spotted Lanternfly is an invasive species that became an unwelcome presence in our community last year. At this phase in its lifecycle, Spotted Lanternflies appear as egg masses, 1-2 inch gray, putty-like smears on tree trunks, branches, and other smooth surfaces.
If you see an egg mass, you can scrape it off with a plastic card or putty knife and destroy it. Just this week, I noticed lanternfly egg masses on the undersides of branches of a tree in my Hoboken backyard just this week. I scraped off the egg masses with a flathead screwdriver, caught the debris in a cup, and disposed of the debris.
A Spotted Lanternfly egg mass
For more information on combatting this invasive species, check out the City’s FAQs here as well as the State’s FAQs.
COVID Vaccinations and Vaccination Records
To get current information on Hoboken’s COVID vaccination clinics click here. If you are a Hoboken resident and would like a copy of your vaccination record, please contact LMedeiros@hobokennj.gov. Vaccination records are also accessible for all New Jersey residents through the Docket app.
Coffee with Cohen
On Tuesday, I hosted my 79th Coffee with Cohen community event at bwé kafe North End, a great locally-owned and operated 5th Ward business, with a special guest, Hoboken Engineer Olga Garcia.
Thanks to bwé kafe for hosting my May 5th Ward office hours and thanks to the neighbors who stopped for coffee, croissants, and conversations about protecting renters, flood resiliency, and more.
Staying Up To Date and Seeking My Assistance
I issue this newsletter every other Friday. You can stay up to date by following me on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. 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
Hoboken City Councilman
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 prior newsletters) on my website philcohen.org.
