Dear Neighbors,
As this school year winds down, thoughts turn to graduations 🎓, proms 👗, and summer days 🌞🏖️. Here are your latest community updates.
Breaking Ground on a New Affordable Senior Housing Project at 11th & Willow
I was proud to join local, County, State, and Federal partners for a groundbreaking ceremony for Hoboken’s first 100% affordable senior housing development in more than three decades, and welcome “The Willow” to our 5th Ward neighborhood.
I have focused on this effort for six years. So, it is wonderful to see construction is underway for 36 affordable apartments for seniors at 11th and Willow. The Willow will provide studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom homes for older residents who want to remain in the community they love in a great neighborhood, close to public transportation, friends, and community, at a time when the cost of housing makes Hoboken unaffordable for many seniors living on fixed incomes.
Like a phoenix, rising from the ashes of the site of a tragic fire in 1973, this effort reflects our City’s commitment to using public lands to support and nourish our seniors and serve our community. I can’t wait for the 2027 ribbon-cutting ceremony to welcome families to a beautiful development with a community space, a library, and sustainable modern amenities designed to help residents age in place with dignity.
With Mayor Jabbour, Congressman Menendez, County Executive Guy, Commissioner Romano, Senator Mukherji and the the Director of the developer CIS
Hoboken Earns Silver-Level Bicycle Friendly Community Recognition
This recognition reflects years of our work to make Hoboken safer, healthier, and more accessible for cyclists of all ages and abilities. Since 2016, Hoboken has expanded bike lanes to nearly half of our streets, launched and expanded Citi Bike service throughout the city, and continued investing in safer street design through protected bike lanes, traffic calming measures, and Vision Zero initiatives.
Since the Citi Bike program launched in Hoboken in 2021, Citi Bike riders have taken more than two million rides throughout our city, helping reduce traffic congestion while encouraging, healthy, green, and sustainable transportation options. This year, we built on this progress renewing Hoboken’s Lyft/Citi Bike contract, piloting a protected bike lane on Grand Street, and ensuring bicycle connectivity is maintained during major infrastructure and construction projects citywide.
Thank You, Julie Harari!
This week, the City Council presented a special proclamation honoring Julie Harari, a longtime leader and volunteer of the 11th Street Island Association. Julie has served as the President of the Association since 2016, and has demonstrated exceptional leadership, environmental stewardship, and commitment to our community.
Approximately 40 people from the neighborhood joined our Council meeting to honor Julie when she received her proclamation. In the photo below, you can see the “Thank You Ms. Julie” banner created by some neighborhood children who tend the Children’s Garden — a garden Julie introduced on one of the three 11th Street Islands the Association maintains. You can watch this special presentation about one minute thirty seconds after the Council meeting starts in the link here. Congratulations to Julie for this richly-deserved recognition.
New All-Way Stop Signs Installed Across Hoboken
The new all-way stop intersections are located near schools, parks, senior facilities, transit stops, and other areas serving vulnerable residents, including locations near the Wallace School, Hoboken High, Columbus Park, the Multi-Service Center, and public housing.
This initiative marks important progress toward Mayor Jabbour’s goal of adding all-way stop signs at 25 intersections citywide to make Hoboken safer and more accessible for everyone.
Coffee with Cohen Welcomes Congressman Rob Menendez
On May 11, I welcomed Congressman Rob Menendez to this month’s office hours for an engaging, thoughtful, and well-attended forum about the issues impacting our community at Anthony David’s. We had in-depth discussions covering a range of topics with excellent community members’ questions including regulating helicopters, funding for regional transportation projects, bike lanes, protecting our democracy, and Congressman Menendez’s description of the deplorable conditions he has seen at Delaney Hall during his regular visits to federal ICE detention facilities.
Not only did our Congressman join us, but Mayor Jabbour attended and answered constituent questions regarding waterfront development, and Democratic County Commissioner candidate Ron Bautista also participated. This Coffee with Cohen was my 118th community event, reflecting my sustained commitment to be accessible and provide you a forum for direct access to your local, state, and federal representatives. I hope to see you at a future Coffee with Cohen event!
Endorsing Rob Menendez for Congress
New Jersey’s primary elections take place June 2nd. This week, the Hoboken Democratic Party (on which I have long served its Executive Committee) met to determine which candidate to endorse in the upcoming Democratic primary. The Hoboken Dems endorsed Congressman Menendez to represent New Jersey’s 8th Congressional District.
Re-elect Congressman Rob Menendez
I have been impressed with Congressman Menendez’s record of accomplishment, his standing up for our community, delivering federal support for critical local infrastructure, standing up for our values, and his hands-on engagement with my constituents on a variety of important issues. I encourage Hoboken democrats to re-elect Congressman Menendez.
Memorial Day Weekend & the Memorial Day Parade
As we head into a holiday weekend and Monday’s Memorial Day holiday, let’s take time to honor the fallen, reflect on their sacrifice and appreciate our heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms, our protections, and our democracy.
Mark your calendars for next Saturday, May 30 at 11 am for a special Memorial Day Parade when we honor those who served and commemorate America’s 250th Anniversary. Hope to see you there!
Staying Up To Date
If you have any questions, or 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
(201) 639-4082
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.
