Dear Neighbors,
With the new school year underway, here’s wishing everyone a great 📚back-to-school 📚year. Here’s the latest on what’s happening in the Mile Square.
CDBG Funds for Hoboken Housing Authority + Local Not-for-Profits
As part of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, Mayor Bhalla announced that the City of Hoboken is providing over $774,000 in funding to local non-profits and public agencies serving low and moderate-income residents.
$628,927 will be allocated to the Hoboken Housing Authority (HHA) to replace boilers, improve lighting, and upgrade security systems in the HHA’s facilities.
The remaining $145,137 will be distributed to the following local non-profits:
- Computers 4 People
- The Hoboken Shelter
- The Act Now Foundation
- Community Lifestyle
- HOPES
- Hoboken Community Center
- True Mentors
- Hoboken Family Planning
I was glad to support this funding with my colleagues on the City Council and I know these funds will be put to excellent use by these terrific organizations.
A New Electric ♻️ Garbage Truck 🛻 and Electric ♻️ HOP Shuttle 🚌 are Coming!
Congratulations to Mayor Bhalla and the City of Hoboken for securing nearly $1.2 million in state funding from The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to purchase Hoboken's first electric garbage truck and first electric HOP shuttle bus.
Based on current usage rates, the City will save approximately $1.1 million in fuel over the next 15 years by replacing an old garbage truck and a HOP bus with electric alternatives as well as reducing annual maintenance and operating costs. The City will also eliminate roughly 17,500 gallons of diesel fuel consumption per year.
Diesel-powered garbage trucks and shuttle buses drive slowly, stop frequently, produce noise and air pollution, and have a fuel economy of less than 15 miles per gallon. Electric vehicles produce much less noise pollution, as well as reduce nitrogen oxide pollution by approximately 150,000 grams of NOx pollution every year, or nearly 2.3 million grams of NOx over the lifetime of the electric vehicles.
This is a true win-win for our community! Thanks to Governor Phil Murphy, DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette, and Mayor Bhalla and his Administration, particularly Environmental Services Director Jennifer Gonzalez for securing this funding.
Spaghetti Dinner
A wonderful time was had by all at Hoboken’s Spaghetti Dinner Block Party last week. It was great to see so many friends and neighbors being together, sharing stories, and enjoying our world-class waterfront. Thanks to my friends at Fox Hill 🦊🏔❤️ for joining me for a special evening on the waterfront and many thanks to Geri Fallo, Hoboken’s Administrator of Cultural Affairs, for organizing such a great event in support of Hoboken’s Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
Congressional Candidate Rob Menendez Stopped by the Spaghetti Dinner
Hoboken Hosts a September 11 Memorial Service on Sunday
Hoboken invites the public to participate in its annual September 11th Interfaith Memorial Service. The service will be held at 2 pm on Sunday, September 11th, next to the City's 9/11 Memorial on Pier A.
Fixing an Improperly Installed Stop Sign
Thanks to the City of Hoboken and Transportation Director Ryan Sharp for promptly responding to my concerns and helping raise the height of a stop sign at 10th and Park after residents reached out to me and noted the stop sign was improperly installed after the intersection corners were repaved. As your representative on the Council, I welcome you to email me with any day-to-day concerns or requests you might have from the City.
That’s better!
Propelify Innovation Festival
Residents are invited to the Propelify Innovation Festival on Thursday, Oct. 6, at Maxwell Place Park. Free tickets are in limited supply for Hoboken residents. Residents can use code HobokenPropels to get a FREE ticket and learn about this year’s event at https://propelify.com/.
Hoboken has hosted Propelify since 2016. With tech talks, exhibitors, startups, investors, music, food, drinks, and more, the festival aims to advance entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology. Among the many speakers this year are founders, leaders, and execs from Verizon, Meta, Audible, Labcorp, Autograph, PSEG, Primary VC, Mojo, HuffPost, Cheddar, Bustle, and more.
Monkeypox Update and Vaccine Clinic Locations
New Jersey has a total of 594 cases of monkeypox as of September 6th with 132 cases located in Hudson County.
The State is providing monkeypox vaccinations for eligible individuals. Eligible individuals include those who have had known contact with someone who tested positive for orthopoxvirus or monkeypox in the past 14 days, people who attended an event where known monkeypox exposure occurred within the past 14 days, and men who have sex with men.
Monkeypox Vaccine Locations
Hudson Regional Health Commission
Location: USS Juneau Center located at 110 Hackensack Ave, in Kearny
Clinic times: Friday, September 9, 8 am - 12 pm, Saturday, September 10, 10 am - 1 pm
Hyacinth AIDS Foundation/Project Living Out Loud!
Location: Jersey City
Phone: 201-706-3480
Bergen New Bridge Medical Center
Phone: 800-730-2762
The Prevention Resource Network, a program of the Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey
Location: Asbury Park
North Jersey Community Research Initiative (NJCRI)
Location: Newark
Phone: 973-483-3444 ext. 200
To see all locations throughout New Jersey please click here.
If you believe you’ve been infected with Monkeypox, please contact the Hoboken Health Department at (201) 420-2375 for additional guidance, information, and contact tracing.
Also, you can visit the CDC’s Monkeypox page here for additional information.
COVID-19 Updates
As of September 5th, Hoboken’s positive test results total 13,697 cases confirmed since the start of the pandemic. Two weeks ago, there were 13,622 positive cases.
New Jersey’s transmission rate is presently at 0.89. Please stay vigilant, practice social distancing when necessary, wash your hands, and stay safe.
Thankfully, HUMC is now hospitalizing no one with COVID. If you have any reason to believe you have been exposed to COVID, please quarantine and then schedule an appointment for a COVID test 5-7 days for those fully vaccinated and immediately for those unvaccinated after potential exposure. To find out when you should get tested, click here.
COVID Testing Updates
To get the current Hoboken COVID testing and hours click here.
Testing for Hoboken Residents and Business Employees:
605 Jackson Street (Administered by Medicine Man)
Date: Wednesday
Time: 8 am - 12 pm
Location: 605 Jackson Street
Type of testing: PCR
Who: Hoboken residents, Hoboken business employees
At-home testing
The NJ Department of Health and Vault Medical Services offers free, at-home COVID-19 saliva test kits. To order your kit go to learn.vaulthealth.com/nj.
COVID Vaccination News
New bivalent boosters, designed to combat the new Omicron variant, are on their way for additional City-run clinics. These boosters have been ordered, and as soon as the city receives them, they will schedule additional clinics, and add them to offer at previously scheduled clinics.
To get current information on Hoboken vaccinations and clinic schedules with the previously offered vaccines and boosters, click here.
The City is hosting a free vaccine clinic for Hoboken residents, employees, and students, with the previously offered vaccines and boosters:
605 Jackson Street (Administered by Hudson Regional Health Commission)
Date: Thursday, September 22
Time: 3 pm - 6:45 pm
Location: 605 Jackson Street
Type of vaccine: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, Noravax
Who: Hoboken residents, Hoboken business employees, Hoboken students
Ages: All eligible age groups 6 months old and older
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 … the home edition
On Tuesday, I hosted my 62nd Coffee with Cohen event and welcomed special guest Councilman Joe Quintero.
We discussed Councilman Quintero’s role as Chair of the City Council’s Public Safety Subcommittee and the introduction of Hoboken’s CAPS program to make Hoboken’s public safety leaders more accessible to the community and much more. I also addressed questions about a garbage 🗑can improperly placed on the 11th Street islands and a stop 🛑sign improperly installed at 10th and Park. Over 100 people have watched this event and you can check it out here.
Do you have a question for my next Coffee with Cohen? Send it to HobokenPhil@gmail.com as I try to address each one. This event — and many past Coffee with Cohen events — are recorded and hosted on my Facebook page and you can watch them here.
Staying Up To Date and Reaching Out For Assistance
I regularly issue this newsletter every other Friday. You also 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.
